


All the Broken Pieces

by OhWilloTheWisp



Series: Broken [1]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Slavery, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Attempted Murder, Background Misha/Gen, Bottom Jensen Ackles, Collars, Cross-Posted on LiveJournal, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Implied Violence, M/M, Minor Character Death, Misha/Gen, Mpreg, Non-Sexual Slavery, Not As Dark As The Tags Make It Sound, Omegas are treasured, Power Dynamics, Sexual Slavery, Slavery, Supernatural and J2 Big Bang Challenge 2015, Top Jared Padalecki, alpha!Jared, jensen/jared - Freeform, omega!Jensen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2015-08-07
Packaged: 2018-04-13 12:59:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4523034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhWilloTheWisp/pseuds/OhWilloTheWisp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Omegas are a blessing and Alphas are a curse. Jensen has been told this his whole life, in the minds of others it goes to justify why all Alphas are enslaved and treated like nothing more than animals. Jensen is an omega and despite what society and his parents may want him to believe he has never been able to see the slavery system as anything but barbaric. Despite the circumstances he falls deeply, hopelessly in love with his Alpha slave Jared. When a slave revolt leaves Jared free and Jensen in danger what they share will be put to the test.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author Note: Jensen's parents are OC because I don't like using non-actors for this sort of thing. This is set in a world where sexual slavery is legal, and non-con is discussed as an issue and something that does occur. But there is *no* non/dub-con, or sexual abuse of any the characters featured in the story. Also, this story is also not as dark as the all the warnings make it sound.
> 
> Author Note II: My eternal grattitude to my amazing beta cappy712. The original ending to this didn't fit the story. They gave me the ideas of how to fix that and without them this story would have never been what it is.
> 
> Thank you to my wonderful artist uke_sama_sensei! This is my first big bang and I was nervous going into it. But her breathtaking art has made the whole experience well worth it. Her beautiful art inspired one of the scenes in the epilogue. The amount of emotion she was able to convey in their art is truly astounding. I sincerely hope every goes to check out her art, even if they don't read my story. The art is really too good to miss! Her art for this story can be seen here: http://uke-sama-sensei.livejournal.com/6211.html
> 
> Thank you also to wendy! I can only imagine how much work it must be to put this on every year. The fandom is truly lucky to have you. :)

Omegas are a blessing. Alphas are a curse. That’s what Jensen’s mom used to tell him when he was young. “Omegas are a blessing and Alphas are a curse, and the moment you forget you will be lost.” He still thought of that sometimes. It had been important to her that he remembers it. Sometimes he wonders if in her mind it justified everything that was to come. It was one of the last things she said to him before everything changed, before his life broke apart and reformed into something new. He didn’t understand then what she meant but he thinks he understands now. There is a wildness in Alphas and something in him is drawn to that wildness inexorably like a moth to a candle flame.  
Alphas and omegas are exceedingly rare. The difference is that Omegas, like him, are revered. Alphas are seen as feral violent creatures, they are a throwback to a darker more savage time. At one time all humans could shift into animal. In the beginning when the world was new and wild it was necessary. Survival depended on a person’s ability to hunt and defend themselves and their families. This meant that being able to take another form - one that’s stronger and more capable than the human form, while still retaining the intelligence of an animal - was a necessary. Back then humanity was more connected to the earth and the animal within. But humanity had moved past that time. Humans had evolved and changed, become more civil and less animalistic. More advanced weaponry and the formation of civilizations had meant that the ability to shift had been lost over time. The only exception to this was Alphas. They had never evolved past that more dangerous feral period. At least that is what Jensen has been told his whole life.

That’s what was used to justify the laws that all Alphas be taken from their parent’s at birth and raised by the state. Once an Alpha was old enough they were collared and sold into slavery. It was better for the population to not have these dangerous feral creatures free. And it was better for the Alpha to be controlled so they wouldn’t become a danger to themselves or others. They were treated like service animals, put to use serving others. At least, that’s the justification for perpetuating a barbaric system of enslavement.   
Being an Omega didn’t feel like a blessing. Sometimes he felt like he was just as trapped by his gender as Alphas were. There were times that he wished he had been born a beta. If he were a beta he would be free to do as he pleased, make his own decisions. He could be like everyone else, and fade into a crowd. If he was a beta than the Ackle’s never would have been interested in him. If he were a beta his mom wouldn’t have given him up with the belief that it would mean a better life for him.

He remembered the last time he had seen his mom. Her skin was soft as she rested her hand against his cheek. He hadn’t understood. Something was happening, something important,. Her eyes had shined with tears. “You need to be brave Jensen. This is for the best. Be brave for me.”

“Jensen!”

His father’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he pushed down the memory.

“Are you listening to me?”

“Yes, sir.” He had been listening to him, in the beginning at least. His parents were going away for a few days to meet a business associate of his father’s, someone who he hoped to negotiate a merger with or something. They were having dinner and his father had decided to try to explain the whole business deal in great detail. He still staunchly held onto the belief that Jensen was destined to take over his company one day. But Jensen had little interest in his father’s work, and somewhere along the line Jensen’s mind had started to wander. He had been thinking about another time and another life.

His father sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose looking tired. “Jensen, I know this may not seem that interesting to you. But if you are ever going to take over from me then you are going to need to learn to be more business minded. Besides, he’s a good man. He’s well off, business savvy, and single. He would make a good mate for you Jensen. You’re getting older Jensen; you need to start thinking about settling down. You’re an omega and my son, you aren’t limited in options, but you need to make sure you choose a mate who is worthy. I just wish you would come with us, see what you what you think. You spend too much time at home, you need to get out and socialize more if you’re ever going to find someone to settle down with.” At that his father looked to Jared, Jensen’s Alpha slave kneeling next to his chair. It wasn’t the first time his father had implied that Jensen was too attached to his slave, and it was preventing him from finding a suitable mate, which to his father meant one that would be beneficial from a business standpoint. Jensen’s hand had been resting on Jared’s shoulder, but at his father’s look he pulled it away.

“Yes, sir.” Jensen had no intention of taking over his father’s business, nor of ever becoming mated with any of his father’s business associates. But he knew better than to admit it. From the way his father’s eyes narrowed Jensen guessed that he was about to launch into another one of his long winded speeches about responsibility and obligation and the legacy that one left behind. As it was, his father was less than pleased that Jensen had declined to come with them, preferring to stay home. He still believed he could badger and guilt Jensen into giving in and coming along for some firsthand business experience. To Jensen’s considerable relief, his mother chose that moment to speak up.

“Leave him alone, he’s still young. He doesn’t want to spend all day listening to old fogies talk business.” His mother words were his saving grace and he couldn’t be more grateful for her intervention.

“When I was his age…” his father began, only to be cut off by one airy wave of Abigail’s hand, as if erasing his words before he even spoke them.

“Yes, yes. When you were his age you were climbing the corporate ladder and already making progress to being the massive success you are today. But, dear, Jensen isn’t you. He needs to find his own path.” In many regards Abigail Ackles was the opposite of her husband, John. She believed in a person finding their own path, even if that meant making mistakes along the way. She had always encouraged Jensen to pursue his passions and to find what would make him happy. She served as a shield, preventing him from being crushed beneath the overbearing will of his father. But for all her gentleness and free spirited ideas she could be just as brutal and vicious as her husband. Most people would never expect it of her; that beneath the soft smiles and elegant mannerism lay the heart of a shark. It would be perhaps better to say that her mentality would be, “find what you love and pursue it ruthlessly.” There was a reason she often accompanied her husband on business trips and transactions. Jensen knew better than most the lengths they would go to, to get what they wanted.

Jensen hated the idea of going with his father to listen to him discuss business. He had enjoyed tagging along to business meetings when he was a child. He genuinely dreamed of taking over his father’s business one day, and having a legacy to leave behind, just like his father always said. But that was a long time ago when he was still young and ignorant of what that meant. It was before he fully understood the ramifications of his father’s business.

When he was first introduced to the Ackles’ business Jensen had mostly understood that the company developed and refined technology. His father would say that his company was helping humanity by creating and improving technology vital to daily life. But in time Jensen had come to understand that the reality was much darker. The Ackles’ business created technology to control and track slave. Foremost was a small chip that would be implanted beneath the skin above the wrist of an Alpha. This served to block them from shifting to their wolf form, it worked as an inhibitor that kept that docile. The owner could a corresponding device that, if the slave became aggressive, allowed them to send a signal that would incapacitate the slave. It also served as a tracker so that Alphas could be found in the event they dared to try and escape from their owner. If the wearer attempted to remove it they would be likewise incapicated. In the end what it came down to was that Alphas were treated like little more than animals without even the most basic rights, and Ackles Industries worked to ensure that never change. His father was making an ungodly amount of money doing something that he genuinely believed was essential to the continuation of civilized society. But to Jensen it was like making a deal with the devil, and he for one would sooner sell his soul than follow in his father’s footsteps. Jensen couldn’t bear the thought of helping to perpetuate a system that he abhorred. He was too much of a coward to tell his this outright. He resisted in more passive ways, like refusing to be a part of any business endeavor, if he could help it.

Whatever John’s response, to his wife’s dismissal, would have been was cut short. One of the house slaves, Gen entered the room then and set a pitcher down on the table. “He’s kicking!” she said and grabbed Jensen’s hand placing it over the curve of her belly. He could feel the flutter of movement under his hand. “He’s so active. You’re going to keep me busy, aren’t you little one?” The affection was apparent in her voice as she addressed her unborn child. It was enough to make his own smile fade as he withdrew his hand. He didn’t know how Gen could be so happy. His father had made it clear he would not tolerate having a squalling baby around the house. It would be too much trouble, and it would take Gen away from her duties too often. Once the child was born it would be placed in a home for the children of slaves. Gen was a beta and working to pay off a debt technically an indentured servant rather than a slave. Because of this the child would be cared for until such time that she had earned her freedom. But she still had 6 years left on a 7 year contract. Once her baby was born it would be taken away and she wouldn’t see it again for 6 years. Jensen couldn’t imagine how painful that would be for her, but as far as he could see she seemed completely unaffected. She went on talking about her pregnancy as if everything was normal and she wasn’t facing losing her baby.  
“Gen.” John’s tone was sharp and causing Gen to look up. “That will be all. Thank you.” It was amazing how much disapproval his father could put into so few words. Gen nodded and turned to leave, never losing her smile, as if she hadn’t just been summarily dismissed.

“She’s too familiar.” It was his mother who spoke this time. Which was laughable, Jensen had practically grown up with Gen. But the fact that she wore a collar apparently erased all that. And in a way he supposed that’s the point. Becoming a slave, whether by birth or by debt, meant everything about a person was taken away. “Slave” the only defining characteristic that mattered to anyone. He could never make that transition. Gen was still the same person he had grown up with, the same person he had always known.  
After that his mother seamlessly transitioned into polite conversation about the state of the garden and some of the women she knew from one of her society groups. Jensen let his mind wander back to his childhood and to Gen.

Her parents had worked for his father’s company and over time their families had become close. Jensen’s father liked to have him around at the office whenever feasible, learning the trade and trying to prepare Jensen for one day running the company. Jensen had been awestruck the first time he had seen the office building where his father worked. He had been ten and he had never seen anything quite like it before. It loomed high up in the sky reflecting the sunlight and the buildings around it like a mirror. It had been as monumental and imposing as his father. The idea of it sounded so exciting, mergers and business deals, when in reality it was endless hours in meetings and filling out paperwork. His awe had given way to boredom. 

On occasion Genevieve’s parents would bring her along to the office. He always loved those times the best. They would happily wile away the time playing together. They would play hide and seek and run in and out of the rooms of the building. They would explore each and every corner they could get to, taking great joy in finding new parts of the buildings. They were thick as thieves and, in retrospect, Jensen realizes now they were probably quite the nuisance. Not that anyone ever said anything to them. Jensen was the boss’ son and an omega nonetheless. At the time he hadn’t fully appreciated what that meant. Somehow by nature of his birth he was elevated to a status that meant he was considered better than most of the population. He tried not to take advantage of it; but there were times it was difficult not to enjoy his status. 

His mother stood and crossed to Jensen with elegance and grace in every movement. She leant down to kiss him on the cheek, then said, “Be good Jensen. We will be back in a few days. Try not to have too much fun while we are gone.” And then she took her husband’s hand and pulled him up from his chair, “Come on dear, we do need to get going. It’s bad form to be late.” John stood and looked to Jensen and for a moment like he was trying to work out a puzzle, then he turned and followed his wife out of the room.  
He knew his father could tell that Jensen was pulling away. It was getting more and more difficult to pretend he wanted to follow the path his father set out for him. As he got older he should be becoming more involved in the work, taking on a more active role. Instead he was becoming more resistant, increasingly refusing the responsibilities that his father wanted to place upon him. The more Jensen tried to resist the pull of his father’s will, the harder his father would try and push Jensen to do and be what he wanted him to be.

Jensen stood up and Jared stood smoothly, everything about him speaking of grace and elegance. Jensen led the way down the hall, Jared following. He would have a reprieve from the looming presence of his father, for a few days at least, and he intended to make the most of it.


	2. Chapter 2

Jensen was ten the first time he ran away. It had been the first night he spent with his new parents. He had been afraid and everything was so new, so much different than the life he had known. He was used to living in a quiet area out in the country, making do without anything but the basic necessities. Suddenly he had been thrust into a new life, one of luxury and slaves, shiny chandeliers and expensive art. That first day his new parents had explained to him that they were his new mother and father and he was never to speak of his old life again. 

He had felt like he was adrift at sea, with no way of finding shore. He had lain in his bed staring at the ceiling and wishing so badly he could go home, to his real home.  
He had designs on going back to a life that he thought still waited for him. It hadn’t been long since the Ackles’ had “adopted” him, though he thought of it more as having “acquired” him. Because that’s what he felt like, one of his father’s many “acquisitions.” He had tied his bedsheets together and tied one end to his bed and thrown the other out the window. In retrospect it was probably unnecessary and more work and danger than he needed to go through. But he had seen it in a movie and at the time it seemed like a good idea. He had dressed as warmly as he could and once he hit the lawn he remembered how his heart had raced. He kept picturing some dramatic scene unfolding like a prison break movie. He had made his way across the grass in the darkness, the moon the only thing to light his way. Stealthy as a cat, or at least that’s how he saw himself, he had made it out the gates and off the Ackles’ estate property. Once he had he felt such a sense of freedom, he had done it, he had escaped. He hadn’t really thought it through. He had no idea where he would go or he would get back to his mom. He had just been intent on getting away. Once outside he had promptly gotten lost. He had no idea where he was going and it didn’t take long before he was cold and frightened. He didn’t know how to get to the home he had left behind, and he didn’t know how to get back to the Ackles. He wanted to open his eyes and find this had all been a bad dream. A kind woman, who was out for an early morning run, had found him, alone and crying. He had told her his address and she had helped him find his way home. 

He had thought his parents would be upset when they found out that he had tried to run away. And they were, just not in the way he had expected. They weren’t angry; they were relieved to have him safe. His mother had cried and told him how scared she had been, and his father stood by his lips forming a thin line. Once he had been fed and cleaned up, his father had sat him down for a long talk. He didn’t yell, he explained to Jensen that being an Omega meant he was special. But that also meant that the world was a dangerous place for him. There were people would want an Omega for their own, and not all of those people were good. He hadn’t gone into detail, but he tried to impress upon Jensen how dangerous it was for him to try to run away like that. As he grew older he wanted to believe that those stories were just lies to keep him in line, under his father’s control. But knew his father was right, he knew the darkness of the world and he had witnessed firsthand exactly how cruel people could be. But it didn’t make it any easier to live under the harsh rule of another.

Now he was overcome with the ridiculous urge to climb out his window and runaway again. He hated that his parent’s presence was enough to make him feel like a frightened kid again. It wasn’t that he didn’t love them; they pushed so hard to make him into something he wasn’t, that he felt like he might shatter. Jensen’s parents had left, but there was still the possibility that they might come back. He was going to hide out in his room until he was sure they were gone. When he was a child he would leave a light on at night to scare away the monsters. But that’s the problem with growing up, it means knowing that monsters are real and the light won’t chase them away.

He went to the window and pulled back the curtain and looked. It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining in a perfect cloudless sky. Below in the garden he could see Gen working, pulling up weeds. She leaned back wiping sweat from her brow and put on hand against the curve of her stomach. She smiled as she cradled her bump. She had been so excited when she had found out that she was going to be a mother, ever since he had seen a change in her, a sort of peace and contentment that he hadn’t seen in her in a long time. He still thought of her sometimes as the girl that he used to know. 

Her story was one that many in her situation fell into. Somewhere along the line her father had made some unfortunate business decisions and had gone into debt. Jensen’s father had been there to bail him out. What, may have, at first seemed like an act of generosity had twisted into something dark and bitter. Jensen’s father made it clear that he was not one to dole out charity, even to a close friend; he expected to be paid back with interest. When it became clear that Gen’s family would not be able to pay off their debt Mr. Ackles had come up with a different solution. Gen’s father would come to live in their house and work for him until such time his debt was paid off. The man was infirm and his continued poor health meant he was not equipped for the kind of work that would be necessary. Becoming a servant would be a death sentence for the man. Gen volunteered to go in his place. Her father tried to stop her, but Mr. Ackles agreed and that’s all that mattered. It would take her seven years to work off her father’s debt, but she never complained or showed any sign that she regretted her decision. It only made Jensen admire the woman all the more. Being so willing to give up the life she knew for someone she loved. He wondered if he would be able to make the same sacrifice if he had been in her position. He wanted to say that he would, but if he was being honest he wasn’t so sure. It’s hard to say how far a person will go until they have no choice but to decide.

It worked out in a strange way. Since coming to live with them she had fallen in love with one of the house Alpha slaves, a man named Misha. Jensen’s father had brought him not long before Gen had taken on her father’s debt and it was his child that she now carried. He didn’t know too much about Misha. He was quiet for the most part and kept to himself. Or rather, he tended to only interact with the other house slaves. He would see Misha sometimes with Gen or even Jared laughing or talking. But whenever Jensen or his family was around he would shut down into the careful blank mask of a slave. Jensen saw the way Gen lit up whenever Misha was around. They seemed nothing but happy together and it went to show that sometimes people could find love in the strangest places.

Jensen turned to find Jared sprawled out on his bed. Alphas are generally larger and more well-muscled than most, and Jared is no exception. Jared’s frame takes up more space than seemed strictly reasonable. He was stretched out across the bed, with his arms folded behind his head. He liked this side of Jared, when it was just the two of them. When he around Jensen’s parents or out in public, he was always stiff; standing tall and straight, his expression carefully blank, always deferential, the perfect slave in every way. But he was different when they were alone. Right now, the glinting of the light off the gold of his collar was the only indication of what he was. Jensen never used the collar on Jared; he kept the remote in a drawer, refusing to touch it. But there was nothing he could do about the collar. Uncollared slaves, when seen in public, would be taken into custody if they were alone, and if they were with their owner, the owner would be fined, and potentially jailed for negligence and endangering the public.

Jensen crossed the room and climbed onto the bed next to Jared. The bed creaked as he shifted and moved so that he was lying stretched out next to him. He put his head on the Alphas chest listening to the steady beat of his heart. Jared put his arm around him, rubbing up and down his back. These were the moments he loved. When it was just him and Jared and he could pretend that the rest of the world didn’t matter. He lay still listening to the hollow echo of Jared’s breathing. It was in moments like this that he would allow himself to let go of his pain and guilt and wrap himself in the comfort of beautiful lies. He could imagine that it was just them and that this was normal, not stolen moments. The day his mom had given him up his life had shattered into a million pieces of broken glass and reformed into something darker. One act of love and sacrifice would thrust him into a life he never wanted. Jared was the only one he didn’t need to lie to. When they were together he didn’t need to pretend to be something he wasn’t. Jared was everything to him, despite how fucked up their situation was. With Jared he could show a side that he couldn’t, wouldn’t dare, show to anyone else.

He didn’t know the exact moment he had fallen in love with Jared. It wasn’t a single moment when the veil had fallen away and he could see clearly what Jared meant to him. It was more gradual. It was in the way Jared smiled, the sound of his heart beating, moments of unexpected kindness that all added up to an undeniable truth: he was in love. Love is insidious in its subtly and destructive in its absoluteness. He was in love with someone he could never have. He couldn’t love another in that way, he couldn’t devote himself fully to someone else when his heart belonged to Jared. The person he owned. He was so fucked.

“I thought you were a puppy,” as soon as he said it he felt Jared’s hand still on his back. He wasn’t sure why he had said it. He wasn’t even sure why he was thinking about this now at all. He didn’t think he had ever told Jared what he had thought the first time he had been told he was going to have his own Alpha slave. When he was alone with Jared it tended to bring his guard down, and he had a way of talking without thinking first. Jensen had been twenty and Jared had been 18 when Jared had come to live with them. That’s the way Jensen liked to think of it, that Jared had come to live with them, not when Jared had become his slave. Jared’s parent’s had gone to a clinic with a doctor who believed slavery to be unspeakably cruel. He had assisted Jared’s parents in faking papers declaring Jared as a beta. Jensen didn’t know how Jared had been discovered as an Alpha. Jared had never said, and Jensen had never asked. Of course there was plenty about Jensen’s past that he had never told Jared.

“Before we met, I thought you were going to be a dog. My parents told me that I was getting older, and I was ready to handle more responsibility. My father said I was going to get a companion; something to protect me and take care of me. I just assumed he meant a dog. Imagine my surprise when, for my birthday, I got my very own human being.” Jensen could feel Jared laughing, a warm deep sound that sent vibrations through Jared’s chest that Jensen could feel.

“That must have been awkward,” when Jared spoke Jensen could feel the words rumbling through his chest.

Jensen sighed, “Everything about that day was awkward.” It was true; it had been one of the worst days of his life. His parents had been so excited to present him with his new “companion.” Then they had led in a teen wearing a silver collar who was staring at Jensen like he was some kind of monster. He shouldn’t have been surprised, it was simply taken as a given that any omega from a family rich enough to own one would be given an Alpha slave. And the Ackles family was extremely well off. Jensen had simply stood there stupidly too stunned and confused to know what to do. His first encounter with Jared had been…well, awkward was a good word for it.

After that his father had taken him aside and had explained to him that Jared was his now. Jared had only recently been taken into slavery, and he would need time to be “educated,” which basically meant trained to be a good slave. But it was important that Jensen understand the responsibility inherit in owning a slave. Jensen would care for all of Jared’s needs and in turn Jared would be there to help Jensen through his heats. Omegas generally didn’t go into heat until their twenties, and at that year would be the first time Jensen would experience one.

When Jared had first been bought by the Ackles he had been openly resentful of his status as a slave. He made no secret that he missed his family and the life he had known before. He pushed against the rules laid out for him and refused to submit, to act like the slave he was expected to be. Jensen’s father had begun to think he had made a mistake with Jared. He was ready to sell him to a new owner and buy Jensen a better slave, as if Jared defective and could be easily replaced. But Jensen had insisted on keeping Jared. He swore that it would work out, that Jared was perfect for him. He had no idea then how right he was.

“I hated you back then.” Jared’s voice was fond, but the words still made Jensen’s blood run cold. It wasn’t a revelation; he knew how Jared had felt about him. He certainly couldn’t blame him for it. He had been taken from his family and thrust into a new world with people he didn’t know and was expected to behave in a way that he had never been expected to before. It was just that Jared had never said it before. Jared had resumed his ministrations, oblivious to how his words had affected Jensen. It tugged at something in him, an old familiar guilt. Jared was his slave, he owned Jared. Nothing could change that. Jensen may love him with all his heart but it didn’t change the fact that he owned Jared. All the warm fuzzy feelings in the world wouldn’t make Jared a free man.

“Jared…I’m sorry. If I could set you free I would.” His voice was soft, muffled by Jared’s shirt. He hated this. Hated that he couldn’t give the man he loved his freedom. He hated that he was such a hypocrite that a part of him doubted he would be able to let Jared free if it meant losing him. Not that it mattered, neither of them had any choice in the matter.

Sometimes he would imagine a different life, one without Alphas and Omegas, where he and Jared could just be. He would imagine that his mom had never given him up, and that Jared’s family had moved in next door. They would have become friends and spend their days together. A happy childhood would slip away into an uncomplicated life of just the two of them. He could picture it so clearly it felt like the memories of a life that never was.

The silence stretched on between them as Jensen thought of a life he would never have. Jared broke the silence, “Jensen….If things could be different, would you want that?”  
He didn’t need to think about his answer, of course he would, but what he wanted didn’t matter. “You know it can’t be. I can’t legally free you and running away isn’t an option.” He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about it, running away with Jared, going somewhere they could be together without fear. But even if such a place existed there was no hope for them. If an Alpha ever did run away the chip would allow the authorities to track them down. Alphas who attempted to escape, or who otherwise went against what was deemed acceptable behavior, would be taken to special facilities where they would be properly controlled and kept away from civilized people. At least that’s the official story. Any slaves who were taken away were never seen again, and the rumor was that they were killed, put down like a rabid dog. Jared may not have his freedom, but being a slave was better than being dead. At least Jensen thought so; he hoped that Jared didn’t feel differently.

“I know…” Jared continued, “But if it could be different, would you want that? If you could choose another life would you?”

“Of course I would. You know that. This was never my choice, if I could set you free I would in a heartbeat. I’ve thought about it before. What it would be like if our circumstances were different. But that’s not going to happen. It may not be ideal, but all we can do is to try and make the best of a bad situation. ” He felt like there was something Jared wasn’t telling him, “Jared, is there something I should know?”

There was a pause and for a minute before Jared spoke again, “it’s nothing. I was just thinking…nothing. Never mind.” His words were hesitant and halting and Jensen got the wondered if he had been about to say something else. Jared was entitled to his secrets and if he didn’t want to tell Jensen, then Jensen wasn’t going to press. He owed Jared that much at least.

After he was sure his parents were away the night passed peacefully enough. He got out the keys to the collars, giving Jared his and leaving the rest out on the kitchen counter for the other three to get. His dad kept the keys in a safe in his room, but Jensen had long ago found the combination, so that on nights like these Jared and the others could lose the collar. He made him and Jared dinner, and they settled in on the sofa to watch a movie. He didn’t see Misha and Gen and he could imagine they were enjoying having the house to themselves as much as he was. 

There was one other house slave, a man named Christopher. Jensen didn’t know much about him, he was an Alpha and a recent acquisition of his father’s. He was an older man and long past desirable age for an Alpha bed slave. His father had only bought him because he came at a good price and owning slaves was seen as a status symbol. There was a darkness that clung to the man that made Jensen want to steer clear of him whenever possible. Christopher generally kept to himself and as soon as Jensen’s parents left he had disappeared and Jensen knew he wouldn’t see him again until they returned. Christopher never openly threatened Jensen, but he would catch the man looking at him in a way that made him feel like a rabbit being eyed by a hawk. Christopher needed to be deferentially to Jensen’s parents, but he avoided Jensen altogether, which was just fine by him.

Jared was sat down on the sofa and Jensen sat next to him, curling curled into the curve of Jared’s side. He could never forget what stood between them, not fully. But with the collar gone, left on the floor and forgotten, it was close enough for him to pretend that they were a normal couple. The movie played sending flickering shadows across the room. Jared had been distracted all night and now he didn’t look like he was watching the screen, he looked sad more than anything. Jensen tried to ignore it but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

When the credits rolled and the night had worn on Jensen was already half asleep.

“I’m going to head to bed, are you coming?”

“Not tonight.”

“You mean you’re not coming to bed now, or you’re not coming to bed at all?”

“I think…I’m going to sleep in the slave rooms tonight.”

“Why?” Jensen tried not to sound whiney, but he hated sleeping without Jared, and ever since he had come into his life it was difficult for him to be a part from the Alpha.

“I’ve got some things to talk over with Gen and Misha.”

That didn’t make Jensen feel any better. Jared wasn’t exactly the most emotive type but he could tell something was wrong.

“It’s fine, I promise.” Jared’s words combined with his weak smile only made Jensen’s anxiety worse.


	3. Chapter 3

He lay in bed staring at the ceiling. It was difficult to sleep without Jared beside him. Jared only needed to sleep in Jensen’s bedroom when Jensen was in heat, to keep up appearances. The rest of the time he was free to do as he pleased, as far as Jensen was concerned, but he usually slept in Jensen’s bed all the same.

It had started the first time Jensen went into heat. It had been the year that Jared became his. Going into heat was far more intense than he could have imagined. It made him feel like he was being torn apart from the inside, and once again made him wish he had been born a beta. For an unmated omega the only way to relieve the pain that came with going into heat was being knotted. But no matter how much pain he was in, he would never use Jared that way. He couldn’t bring himself to use another person for his own gain.

He spent that first day locked in his room, curled up in his bed praying for an end to the pain. Jared had to stay with him to keep up appearances that Jared was fulfilling his purpose. He remembered Jared stayed at a safe distance watching him with a mix of resentment and wariness that would have made Jensen feel guilty under any other circumstances. As it was he was in too much pain to care. He would look back at that as the night his relationship changed, or perhaps the night it began. It was at the end of that first day that Jared approached him. 

“It’s stopped being fun seeing you in pain. I can help you.”

“Go fuck yourself.”

Jared quirked a smile at that “Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around?”

Jensen didn’t bother responding; he just glared and told Jared to go away.

“Move over, trust me, it will be better, I promise.”

He certainly wasn’t going to let Jared fuck him. He may have been in pain, but that didn’t mean he was willing to cross that line. Jared didn’t have a choice in his circumstances, and there was no way Jensen was taking advantage of that. But he did move over on that bed in the hopes if he did what Jared said it would at least make him shut up so he could suffer in peace.

He crawled into bed and pulled Jensen in against him. Jensen went rigid started to pull away but Jared didn’t let him. Soon he was starting to relax and he found the pain dissipating a little. On some deep fundamental level he responded to the presence of his Alpha, and while it didn’t make the pain go away, it made his heat tolerable. After that Jared took to spending night’s Jensen’s bed, and the next time Jensen went into heat Jared offered to knot him. Jensen never let him, it would still be wrong, no matter how he may feel about the man. But it became habit for Jared to sleep in his bed all the same.

Now Jensen was alone with nothing to keep him company but his thoughts. He wanted to know what was going on with Jared, but he didn’t know how to find out. The possibilities ran through his head until, eventually, sleep did claim him, but his respite was short lived. He was roused from sleep by a noise he couldn’t immediately identify. He shifted in his bed, trying to clear the cobwebs from his sleep addled brain. Pushing the blankets back he sat up, looking for what had woken him. It took him a minute to realize the sound was that of his cellphone ringing on his bedside table. The caller ID indicated that it was his mom calling, which didn’t make any sense. Why would she be calling him in the middle of the night?

He picked it up and didn’t even have time to speak before she was shouting in his ear, which was enough to bring him fully awake. Through his mother’s panic he made out that there had been a slave revolt. Something about the chips controlling the slaves had been disabled. She was in a tizzy, certain that Jensen would be dead or in mortal danger when she called. Once Jensen assured his mother that he was indeed safe, and that nothing bad had happened to him, she calmed down a little, and became easier to understand. “Your father and I will be gone longer than expected. The authorities have shut down the roads for safety, to prevent any escaped slaves from getting far. This is so tragic; I only wish we were there. I never dreamed anything like this could happen! There are supposed to be measures in place to prevent this from happening! Sweetie, if you need anything…”

“I won’t, I’m fine, believe me. It’s going to be okay, just stay safe.” After more reassurance that he was fine and not in immediate danger he hung up the phone. He thought about what this meant. If the chips weren’t working then slaves would have had the opportunity to cut out their chips and escape. But it was the middle of the night and he wondered how many slaves would actually be aware their chip had stopped functioning. From what his mom had said it sounded like at least some slaves had taken advantage of the window to cut out their chips and escape from their masters. He considered the implications of what this meant. Not many people may see this as a positive that way, but he did. The slaves deserved their freedom. Good or bad there was going to be chaos. A structure fundamental to the current way of life couldn’t just be taken away without serious ramifications.

He looked up when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. He peered into the darkness and could just make out the silhouette of Jared. 

“Jared what’s wrong?” He didn’t answer, instead approaching him, stopping a few feet from the bed. Jensen’s eyes were adjusted to the dark enough that now he could see the man more clearly. The gold collar was gone from his throat. And there was a bandage, stained red, above his wrist, right where the chip had been implanted. Blood ran down dripping from his fingertips onto the floor. In all his life Jensen had never been afraid of Jared. Until now.

He sat numbly staring up at the figure looming over him. “Jared…” he let it trail off at that. He didn’t know what to say. Jared moved and something hit the bed next to Jensen. Jensen looked dumbly at the object next to him, the gold of the collar glinting in the moonlight filtering in through the window. “Put it on.” Jared’s voice was cold, broaching no argument. Jensen barely recognized him.

For a moment the blank expression broke and there was a flicker of the old Jared. He looked down; seeming so uncertain and Jensen had the ridiculous urge to say something to reassure him. He saw a guilt there and he wanted to ask what the Hell was going on, but then he already knew didn’t he?

“Look, I’m sorry about this.” Jared did look sorry. The blankness had given way to something softer, and Jared looked uncertain of himself. “If it was up to me…well, I don’t think this is necessary. But some of the others don’t exactly trust you and this seemed the best option.”

Jensen nodded numbly as he put the collar around his neck. He considered the implications of this and what other options that may have been presented. Jared indicated for Jensen to follow him and Jensen stood.

He followed Jared out of his room into the hall. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t know what. He didn’t know what to do. Jared kept his hand on his arm in a loose grip and Jensen supposed it was to keep him close. Though it was unnecessary, he wasn’t exactly going to run away. After what Jared had said he knew he was better off with Jared than anywhere else at the moment. Jared led him into the living room and Gen and Misha were already there, similar bandages matching Jared’s. Gen was on one end of the sofa and Misha was next to her, his body angled towards her as if protecting her and their child. Misha was eyeing him distrustfully. Gen only glanced up at them before her attention returned to the TV, watching something with rapt attention. Jensen glanced around, looking for Christopher. He didn’t like not knowing where the man was under the best of the circumstances. He didn’t exactly feel relieved when he found him leaning against the wall, set apart from the rest of the group, but still close enough to see the TV that they all seemed so interested in. He was watching Jensen with a contemplative look, like a cat watching a mouse, Jensen thought bitterly. The way he looked at Jensen sent a shiver down his spine, and he saw Jared glance at the man then tighten his grip around Jensen’s arm. Jensen couldn’t tell if it was meant to keep him from trying to get away or keep him close to keep him safe. He secretly hoped for the latter, but couldn’t be sure. 

Jared took a seat on one of the sofas, only then did he let go of Jensen. He contemplated trying to get away, but he didn’t suppose he had much chance of escaping. Staying put was his best bet. Even now, especially now, he wanted to be near Jared. He didn’t know how to explain it, but some deep instinctual part of him was pulled to Jared. As if when everything else was stripped away his most basic instinct was to stay near his Alpha. He stood awkwardly next to Jared, not knowing what to do with himself.  
Christopher was still staring at him and he could practically feel his eyes on him. He considered kneeling by Jared’s feet, being the good slave that Jared had learned to be. But he felt too self-conscious doing that without being told. He doesn’t want to sit next to Jared, well he does, that feels more familiar, but he isn’t sure it would be welcome. He settles for sitting on the floor next to Jared. Maybe he’s misguided feeling safe with Jared, but he doesn’t want to be far from the man. So he slides down until he is leaning against the sofa next to Jared’s legs. Jared poses the least danger he supposes, for the time being at least. In his periphery he can see Jared watching him and for a moment he thinks the man is going to say something, but changes his mind. He settles instead for putting his hand on Jensen’s shoulder, the warmth and weight of his hand a welcome comfort. Without thinking about it Jensen leans into Jared until his shoulder is touching the other man’s leg.

The television has been white noise up to this point, he would catch snatches of words and sentences but nothing much. It wasn’t exactly his focus, but Gen and Misha, and now Jared are watching intently. When he turns his attention to the television he isn’t surprised to find it’s tuned into the news, which is covering the recent events that allowed the slaves to free themselves of their chips. What does surprise him is the extent of the damage. There are already pictures of buildings burning, chaos and destruction on a scale he hasn’t witnessed before. He had assumed that it was malfunction in a few of the chips, he had not guessed at the number of slaves who were able to free themselves. The news anchor talks on, while words scroll across the bottom of the screen. Words like “death toll rising” and “mass chaos” catch his attention. It isn’t known for sure what caused the malfunction, but there is some speculation that it wasn’t an accident. A well-known radical organization of abolitionists took credit for it, but it has yet to be confirmed if there is any validity to it. The organization had previously been responsible for the destruction of property as well going to great lengths to shut down the types of factories and facilities that produced that sort of thing his father’s company created.

There was no way to know for sure how many slaves had removed their chips. All the slave chips had a unique number associated with them which were logged and tracked. This information was used to show a slave’s past owners, health, training, history and so on. In time it would be possible to tell how many and what slaves had removed their chips, but at the moment damage control was of the utmost importance. According to the news anchor, it was also uncertain how many slaves had taken the opportunity to escape from their masters, and how many had more sinister plots in mind. He was speaking with professional detachment with just the right amount of sympathy for those affected. But he didn’t seem to be helping, despite continually advising the public to remain calm; the news seemed to be doing anything but. Wild speculation about what this could mean for people, and for society in general only served to make the whole situation much worse. 

Experts were speculating on the nature of what this meant. A man by the name of Christian Kane, an outspoken abolitionist, was being interviewed, “I think the situation has the potential to be positive, despite the violence that has ensued. This could lead to the end of slavery. The slavery system is a horrible and immoral institution, and this event goes to show that owning slaves can only end badly. I can only hope that this will lead people to see exactly how unhealthy the slavery system is for us as a society.” Jensen considered this; he liked the idea of it, that this could lead to the end of slavery. But realistically he doubted the man was correct. More than likely this would only lead people to believe more strongly that Alphas are feral and need to be controlled.

A pastor by the name of Eddie Fox was interviewed next. “This uprising is the beginning of the end! The ends times are upon us now! This uprising is God’s punishment to humanity for their sins, and once the unbelievers are culled then only the pure of heart will remain. Only the true believers will endure this trial.” Misha made a derisive noise, “Where do they get these whack jobs anyway? This isn’t the apocalypse; this is what happens when you treat people like animals. If you treat someone like that, then that’s what they will become.”

Without thought Jensen leaned into Jared, and he felt the man’s fingers curl around his shoulder, then move up running over the collar around his neck. He wondered what Jared was thinking about all of this. It must be freeing to finally have the collar and chip gone, after so many years. Jensen had only been wearing the collar for a little while but he already wanted to rip it away. He deserved this, to know to some small degree what Jared had felt for so long. He turned his attention back to the TV as an expert on slavery spoke. It was a man named Chad Michael Murray; apparently he devoted his life to studying the effects of slavery on society. According to him this outcome was inevitable.   
“Slavery has caused a tension between slaves and owners, a tension that’s only grown worse, not better, as time has progressed. Like a rope pulled too tight, it was inevitable that eventually something would happen to cause the whole system to break. I have been saying for a long time that eventually there would be a turning point, something would cause or allow a slave uprising. When it happened all the tension and violence that had been just under the surface for decades would explode with catastrophic effects. The violence and chaos that would follow were unavoidable and would bring about a radical change in society and the slave system as a whole. This isn’t the end of the world; it is the end of the world as we had known it. It is unlikely that this violence will lead to the abolishment of slavery. It is far more likely that this will be used as evidence for the necessity of the slave system. Proponents of slavery would use this to show exactly how violent and brutal Alphas could be when not strictly controlled. This event will likely lead to a push for stricter laws for slaves, and more sever punishments for slaves who go against what is expected of them. No doubt this will lead to a push for more secure technology to prevent this from happening again. Better tech and new ways to keep slaves in line.”

Jensen could only hope that he was wrong and that this would lead to the abolishment of slavery all together. But a cynical part of him knew that it would never happen that way. There was no way violence, no matter how justified, could lead to anything good. That’s what happened. When something happened to break the world apart and change what was, it would come back together in new and worse ways. His father would certainly be happy. This would no doubt lead to quite the boon for his company.

No one was talking, the only sound that of the television, and he found the silence eerie. He was acutely aware of the instability of his position, with so much violence going on he should be grateful that he was still safe. He wondered why Jared or any of the others tried to escape. His parents were gone, there chips were removed, and he certainly had no intention of trying to stop anyone.

The answer came soon enough. Footage of fires and panicked people was accompanied by footage of the police taking down someone an Alpha. Wolves roamed the streets teeth bared and dripping with blood. The news anchor reiterated the need for everyone to stay in their homes. The streets weren’t safe and measures had been taken to ensure any escaped slaves wouldn’t get far. Any Alpha, regardless of whether or not they were accompanied by their owner, would be taken into custody, as a precaution, until such time that it could be determined what the best course of action would be.

The death toll was rising among both Alphas and owners. Some owners were killing their slaves as a precaution. Jared’s hand tightened on Jensen’s shoulder and he knew how difficult this must be on the man. Jensen had heard enough, there was so much pain and violence. He turned his head in towards Jared’s leg, looking away from the TV. He tried to tune out the news broadcast, though it was difficult and he still kept hearing updates on the death toll. 

He wasn’t sure how long it was before the TV went quiet. When he looked up he saw that Gen was asleep against Misha’s shoulder. He didn’t look to see what had become of Christopher. Jared put a hand on his arm and helped pull him to his feet, then led him back towards Jensen’s bedroom. He was exhausted after the events of the night, and fell into bed, grateful for the reprieve that sleep would bring. Jared climbed in behind him and pulled Jensen into his arms, pulling him almost painfully close. It felt so familiar, the warmth and proximity a comfort he desperately needed. He wondered distantly if Jared found the contact as reassuring as he did before he drifted off wrapped in Jared’s arms.


	4. Chapter 4

Jensen woke up slowly. He was warm and comfortable and he didn’t want to open his eyes. There was something unpleasant pressing into his consciousness. Right now the pleasant haze of sleep still clung to him pushing out everything else. He didn’t want to wake, didn’t want to leave behind the peace of his dreams that were already fading too fast. They were little more now than flashes of imagines and impressions. Jared had been there. He and Jared had been together, no collars, no power dynamics just them. There had also been an aardvark, a pink aardvark. 

Coming fully awake was painful as it meant everything came crashing back to him, everything that had happened the previous night, the uncertainty, and most importantly the unwelcome knowledge that he was going to lose Jared soon. It was a reality he didn’t want to face. He wanted to go back to that beautiful dream where it was just the two of them, with their aardvark. 

He couldn’t lose Jared, the man who meant everything to him, Jared, the man who was currently breathing heavily against his neck. His breath was hot and wet and unreasonably loud. He didn’t remember Jared’s breathing usually being this loud. He felt something sharp pressing into his back and he was too close to the edge of the bed to move away from it. As much as he liked having Jared close, this was a little much, Jensen was hot and uncomfortable. He groaned as he reached back to shove Jared away trying to put a little space between them. His hands met soft fur and he froze. His thoughts were racing as he twisted around to see what was behind him. He was met with an open maw filled with sharp teeth only inches away from his face. There was a fucking wolf in his bed. With a start he pulled back effectively falling out of bed and taking the sheet with him. He thoroughly entangled himself in the sheets and his frantic flailing only made the situation worse. Once he finally managed to disentangle himself he slid back on the floor until his back hit the wall. Never in his life had he woken up with a wild animal in his bed and he was pretty sure he would have remembered if there had been one lying next to him when he fell asleep. He fell asleep wrapped in Jared’s arms and woke up with a wolf breathing down his neck. And with that it all the pieces fell into place. 

Jared was an Alpha and that meant he could take the form of a wolf. Intellectually he knew that of course, but the chip served as an inhibitor preventing Alphas from changing form. There was a difference between knowing something and encountering it firsthand. He had never seen an Alpha shift but now that the chip was gone there would be nothing preventing Jared from shifting for the first time in years.

Jared was back to himself, at least the version of him that Jensen was familiar with. He met Jared’s self-conscious expression and felt a wave of familiar guilt. This was the man he loved, no matter what form he took. He had caught a glimpse of a deeper part of Jared that was forced to stay hidden, and he had reacted like he was a monster. His whole life Jared had been treated like an animal because of what he was and now Jensen, for all his talk of acceptance and moral indignation, had reacted exactly as if Jared was an animal to be feared.

“I’m sorry…” Jared began, but Jensen cut him off.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. Fuck. I’m sorry; it just took me off guard that’s all. When I woke up I was expecting you, not…well, the other side of you.” He stood up, letting the sheet fall to the floor in a pile. He made his way to the bed, sitting on the edge near Jared.

“I uh, didn’t do it on purpose. The chip has prevented me from shifting, and even before that I always had to be careful. It was tough on my parents. When I was a pup I loved to shift and run through the woods. Feeling the grass beneath my paws, feeling that free, there’s no other feeling quite like it. But my parents had to impress upon me the danger of what I was doing. I didn’t understand then, but when I got a little older I started to get it. I would see someone walking with a collar, in step with their master, and I would think, ‘that could be me’. After that I was afraid to shift just in case someone saw me. I guess now that the chip is gone and I feel safe….It just sort of happened while I was sleeping. I haven’t had a problem with nocturnal shifting in years.” Jared’s voice was apologetic, and Jensen realized it must have been just as much of a surprise for Jared as it had been for him.

“You shouldn’t be embarrassed, I liked it. I was just surprised, that’s all. Can you do it again? I liked seeing that side of you.”

“Really? You sure?” Jared sounded uncertain but cautiously eager. Jensen assured him he was certain. And just like that he wasn’t Jared anymore. Jensen thought the change would be painful or disturbing. He had thought about it before, what it would look like to see someone change form like this. He had pictured the pop of dislocating joints and skin stretched too tight, excruciating pain and temporary disfigurement, something unnatural. But the reality was just the opposite. A shiver passed through Jared’s frame and just like that he was the wolf, as if shifting was as easy and natural as breathing, and maybe for Jared it was. His wolf was beautiful and massive as the man himself. His fur was long and black, with paws tipped with sharp claws. But his eyes were the same shade of brown that they always were. There was a kindness and intelligence in those eyes that set the creature in front of him apart from any normal wolf. This was more than an animal driven by instinct and lusting for blood. The body may change shape but the soul of the man was the same in any form he took. He felt honored to see this side of Jared.

Jensen reached out a hand to touch the wolf’s fur, but then hesitated and pulled his hand back. It felt wrong to pet such a gorgeous creature like a common animal. The wolf stayed still; as if afraid any movement might frighten Jensen away. Desire overrode his better instincts and Jensen reached out again brushing his fingers along the wolf’s neck and up higher. The wolf turned his head into the touch, the gesture so undeniably familiar to him. He had expected to meet coarse fur; instead it was soft to the touch. Growing bolder, he buried his fingers deeper into the wolf’s – Jared’s – fur. Jared thumped his tail against the bed and leaned forward to lick Jensen’s face. A wet slobbery kiss and laughing Jensen pushed him away and wiped his face dry with one of the blankets left on the bed. Seeing Jared like this, it felt so natural. He thought about what the world was missing out on by preventing Alphas from turning. There was something wild and untamed in Jared, there always had been. And keeping him collared and chipped felt deeply and fundamentally wrong. Like caging a wild animal, nothing was more unnatural. Entranced he ran his hand down across a muscular shoulder and along the ridge of his back. He had been sharing his bed for years with a creature far more wild and powerful than him, and now the collar was off and the restraints were gone.

“You know Jared, seeing you like this….I’m kinda surprised I even noticed anything was different when I woke up.” That got a soft growl with no heat behind it. He couldn’t help smiling at that, he could get used to seeing this side of Jared.

With a shiver Jared shifted back and was once again the version of him that Jensen was familiar with. He looked pleased, and Jensen could guess that he liked that Jensen didn’t react badly to seeing his wolf side. Well, at least once he knew what was going on. He couldn’t be blamed for freaking a little when he woke up with a wolf in his bed. In that moment he could see the two sides of Jared come together as one, wolf and man, maybe not so different after all. Intelligence and instinct, wolf and man, they were all one in the same. And maybe Alphas weren’t so different after all. He tried to deny that part of himself, but deep down he felt the call of a more instinctual part of himself. When everything else was stripped away, when he took away all the guilt and complications, one simple fact remained: he was meant to be with Jared.

“You know, I never did return the favor from the other night.” Jensen thought back over the past week but had no idea what Jared was talking about.

“I’m not sure I know what you mean…” Jared moved on the bed so that he was closer to Jensen. The action caused Jensen’s heart rate to pick up.

“You were pretty drunk; I shouldn’t be surprised you don’t remember. Still, I was wondering if you remembered and just decided to act like it didn’t happen. I should be glad that you don’t remember I’d hate to think you would ignore something like that.”

Jared moved so that he was leaning into Jensen, causing him to lean back against the wall. Jared put one arm on the wall next to Jensen, boxing him in. Had he slept with Jared? He hated to think that he would finally get what he wanted for so many years and not even remember it.

“Did we…did we sleep together?”

Jared smirked and shook his head, “no, it didn’t go that far. I wouldn’t have let it go that far, not when you were that drunk. I probably should have a put a stop to it all together, but I’ve wanted you for so long, and you were very insistent.”

Jensen knew what Jared was talking about now, at least in a way. He and one of his friends had gone out earlier in the week and he had stumbled back into the house in the middle of the night completely drunk. He was fortunate his parents hadn’t heard him. Jensen thought he was too old to have to sneak around, but his father was determined to control every aspect of Jensen’s life. And he saw drinking as a waste of time that could lead to “regrettable choices.” The next morning he vaguely remembered something happening with someone, but it was all too fragmented to be sure what exactly had occurred. He thought at first that something had happened with Danneel. But he had seen her since and there was no awkwardness when they were together, and nothing to indicate that anything had happened between them. He had decided to chalk it all up to a liquor induced dream, it turned out he might have been wrong.

“What did I do?”

“You came in at 3:00AM, dragged me out of bed and told me that you were tired of fighting against what you wanted. You were going to do something you had always wanted to do. Then you started going on about not pushing me into anything, and you wanted me to want you too. Afterwards you started to cry and say how much you hated your life. It was quite the emotional rollercoaster with you that night. We talked for a bit, and then you fell asleep against me. I wasn’t sure if you would remember any of that. When you didn’t say anything the next day, just acted like nothing had happened, I figured you either didn’t remember or didn’t want to talk about it.”

Jensen let his head fall back against the wall, years of repression, and he broke down because he had a few too many beers. It looked like his father was right, about drinking at least.

“Fuck. That’s so embarrassing; I can’t believe I unloaded on you like that. I’m sorry about that….if I were sober I never would have put you through that.”

“Don’t be sorry. I’m glad you were honest. It’s hard to tell with you sometimes, you keep everything bottled up most of the time. I can usually tell what you’re thinking, but sometimes I don’t know. I wish you felt like you could be more open while you’re sober. Maybe next time it won’t take you getting drunk to open up to me. I care about you Jensen; you have to know that by now. Nothing will ever change that, certainly not this.” With the last part he hooked one finger around the collar resting against Jensen’s throat. He didn’t understand how Jared could be so casual about it. Of course it mattered; the collar symbolized everything that stood between them. It represented what Jensen was, and a life he had never wanted.

“It matters Jared, don’t act like it doesn’t. What did I do anyway, you still haven’t said?”

“Words are overrated, why don’t I show you?” Jared moved so that he was straddling Jensen’s legs, then put his other arm against the wall next to Jensen. Now Jensen was properly trapped between Jared’s arms, he should feel afraid, but he didn’t. Jared leaned in brushing his lips against Jensen, a soft kiss, giving Jensen the chance to pull away. Instead Jensen put his arms around Jared’s neck and leaned in, kissing him properly. Their tongues tangled and Jensen can’t believe this is happening. After wanting for so long he has Jared in his arms and in his bed, at least he’s sober this time. Jared pulled away and Jensen leaned into him, desperate not to lose the contact. He can feel one of Jared’s hands sliding up against the back of his neck and he doesn’t understand what he’s doing at first. Then he felt the weight of the collar slip away as Jared removed it and set it down with a soft clink on the side table.

He made short work of Jensen’s clothes, pushing his shirt off over his head, then undoing and pulling down his jeans. He kisses along Jensen’s throat where the collar had once rested, and trails kisses down his body. Jensen arches into the touch, “I’m glad you weren’t a puppy.”

In answer Jared nips him making his skin sting, and Jensen rolls his eyes at that, “fine I wish I had gotten a puppy for my birthday and you and I had met under much different, much better circumstances. Better?” Apparently it was, if what Jared did with his tongue next was any indication.

By the time Jared makes it all the way down Jensen’s body, Jensen’s a writhing mess, arching into every touch. Jared licked along Jensen’s hard length then took him full in his mouth. He licked back up the length of his cock and Jensen’s hips bucked up in response. Jared pulled back just then, only to repeat the action. Jensen had never felt anything quite so good and too quick he was close to coming. Jared backed off then and continued this, a slow tease, bringing Jensen close then pulling away until Jensen was a writhing mess and finally fell over the edge, his back bowing as he gave into the pleasure.

“Fuck you’re good at that.” Jared gives him a cat that got the canary smile as he slides back up the bed to lie next to him.

“I’m damn good at a lot of things, give me time and you’ll see that for yourself.”

“I’ll bet.” He wants that, to find out every skill Jared has. But for the time being he has something else in mind.

He moves so he’s leaning over Jared, and then works his way down. He tries to take in every movement that Jared makes, every sound. As he took Jared’s cock into his mouth he watched the way the muscles of his stomach tensed. He wants to remember this, every part of it, every movement. He teases Jared the way he did, until he finally can watch Jared fall apart, completely undone by Jensen. He regrets holding out so long. He never believed that Jared would want to be with him if he had a choice. And now that he knows differently he thinks back over all the time wasted denying what they both wanted.

Jensen tried to ignore the painful twist in his gut that this thought brings. Being with Jared like this had been enough to push back the reality of what was happening, but only for a little while. No matter how much he tried to ignore it the knowledge was a constant weight at the back of his mind. Everything was going to change. Jared was free, but he would only have a limited window if he wanted to stay that way. He would need to get somewhere safe, somewhere far away before Jensen’s parents came back and found out what had happened. He loved Jared, without reservation and without doubt he loved the man. He wanted to be with him forever, in whatever way that entailed. He wanted to follow Jared wherever he went, he would go to Hell if that’s what he needed to do to be with him. He wanted to tell him that, tell him everything, ask Jared to take him with him, wherever he went from here. He hated how hard it was for him to ask for what he wanted. If Jared didn’t feel the same way, then at least he would know and that would be better than living in this purgatory of uncertainty.

“Jared, I was wondering…Do you want to get breakfast? I’m starving.” He could stand not knowing, at least this way he could pretend they would get their happily ever after, at least for a little while longer.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Jensen slid onto one of the stools next to the kitchen island. Jared had insisted on cooking and it wasn’t exactly the first time Jared would cook for them. Jared was talented at a good many things, as Jensen had just seen firsthand, but cooking wasn’t one of them. He wasn’t exactly a bad cook but he wasn’t exactly a good one either. He ended up burning most of what he attempted to make. Jensen’s parents preferred to rely on slaves for all their meals. Gen was primarily responsibility for that particular duty. Jensen didn’t think it was that they saw cooking as beneath them. Rather, why bother when someone else would? It was so easy for them, to let someone else do all the household work for them. It was so deeply engrained that he doubted they even gave it a second thought. But when left to his own devices Jensen preferred to cook the meals for himself and Jared. It had started out of guilt. Once he was old enough to handle that sort of thing on his own he felt bad expecting someone else to do it for him. Overtime he had discovered he actually rather liked cooking. It was relaxing and there was something satisfying about creating something like that. But this morning Jared had insisted that he would make something for them. Jensen had been admittedly dubious but ultimately acquiesced because Jared was enthusiastic over the idea. Since the chip was gone there was a new kind of enthusiasm in Jared that Jensen rarely saw before. It was like he was a big overly eager puppy dog excitedly exploring a new world that had been opened up to him. He thought about the wolf that had been in his bed only moments before. It was an interesting juxtaposition, that powerful deadly creature compared to the man before him now, enthused at the idea of making breakfast. He suspected there were depths and sides to Jared he had yet to discover, and God knows he loves everything he has seen so far. He wants nothing more than to learn every facet of who Jared is.

He watched Jared take egg out of the carton and crack it into a pan, a good amount of shell ending up in the pan too and Jensen started to regret giving in so easily to let Jared make breakfast.

“You know, I can do that. I really don’t mind.”

“You don’t think I can make do it?” At Jared’s crestfallen look Jensen immediately regrets his words. Burnt bacon and crunchy eggs are a small price to pay to see Jared so happy.

“No, it’s not that. I just don’t want you to feel obligated, that’s all. Whatever you make will be wonderful.”

He pushes at the collar around his neck. Jared hadn’t said anything about him putting it back on, but thinking back to Jared’s words that first night he had decided it was probably best to keep wearing it. At least that’s part of it. Wearing it makes him feel better in a way, penance for all the years Jared was forced to wear it. Even so it’s uncomfortable and he isn’t used to it. The weight around his throat makes it difficult to forget he’s collared. He absently moves it, trying to resettle the linked metal into a more comfortable position while he watches Jared studying a pack of bacon with intent concentration.

“Good choice. Probably safest to cook for yourself.” Misha’s voice rang out from behind them and Jensen looked back to find the man leaning against the doorframe to the kitchen. “Let that one cook” with this he gestured towards Jensen “and you might end up with broken glass in your food. Never trust a master myself, on principal and all.” He gives Jared a Cheshire grin and Jensen looks down at the floor. He clenches his jaw against the impulse to defend himself. There’s something bitter in biting his tongue when faced with such an unfair accusation. But he isn’t stupid. He is aware of exactly how untenable his position is. And maybe he deserves it. He spent years in a household with slaves, doing nothing to help them. Now they are free and he is trapped. Jared and the others have no reason to be kind to him, and just because Jared said he cares for him, that sentiment doesn’t necessarily extend to the others. . Empathizing with the situation of a slave is a far cry from living it. Being completely at the mercy of another, knowing that your wellbeing, your existence is dependent on another person, someone who has no reason to show you kindness, is a kind of vulnerability that he isn’t used to. This brings back a fresh wave of guilt for all those who have had to experience this without hope, and how little, despite his beliefs, he has done to help their cause.  
Jensen doesn’t expect the murderous look Jared sends Misha, before shoving the spatula into his hands. Jensen stared dumbly down at the utensil for a moment, as if he isn’t quite sure how it’s supposed to work, before standing and going to the oven. He needed to start giving Jared more credit. It’s probably unreasonable, but on some level it surprised him that Jared would choose him over Misha. Whatever kinship he may have felt with Jared over the years, he is still an owner and Jared a slave. He always assumed that Jared would have more trust of a fellow slave than an owner. When it came down to it he always thought Jared would choose a fellow slave over him. He loves you, the thought comes unbidden and he pushes it away. Just because Jared is pissed at Misha for being an ass doesn’t mean anything. And even if it did, it doesn’t change their situation.

“Oh come on, lighten up Jared.” Misha’s tone remains flippant, but if he wasn’t mistaken it had taken on an edge of nervousness. Jared could be quite intimidating if he wanted to be.

Jensen looked down at the mess of broken egg shells and raw bacon in the pan. It appeared to be beyond salvaging. He dumped out the contents and went to the fridge to get new ingredients, as he does so he could hear the soft approach of footsteps and Gen’s voice behind him.

“Misha, be nice.” Her tone is scolding, as if Misha were a naughty child.

“I am being nice!”

“Really? Because Jared looks like he’d like to punch you. If that is you being nice then I don’t know why in the world I fell for you in the first place.”  
Jensen decided to get out a few more eggs and bacon to add to the pan for Gen.   
Gen pulled out a chair at the table and Misha soon joins her.

“How are you feeling? Is the morning sickness any better?” Misha’s concerned tone is a sharp contrast to his earlier acidic one.

“Much, it seems to be getting better by the day. I swear at first I thought this little one was trying to kill me. How can something this small cause so much trouble? And to think he’s not even born yet!” Her voice is soft and full of affection. Hearing what she said about morning sickness made Jensen reconsider the bacon and eggs and he got out bread to make her toast instead.

Jared asked about her due date, which isn’t for a few more months, and Misha kept asking about various aspects of Gen’s pregnancy that had been causing her trouble. Jensen had always dreamed of having children, but lately he had started to reconsider. Anyone could give birth to an Alpha, though extremely rare, it did happen. The thought of bringing a child into this world, only to have it taken from him and raised for a life of slavery, is unbearable. He had started to wonder if having children was even worth it. Under different circumstances he could see Jared making a good dad. He would be gentle and kind to their children, the perfect protector and provider. He shuts down that line of thought. Instead he focuses on the task at hand, getting out dishes and making three plates. He isn’t trying to snub Misha, but after his comment he doubted the man would actually eat anything he made.

He gives Jared and Gen their breakfasts, the latter smiling sweetly and thanking him, apparently not sharing her mate’s particular distrust of him. Then he slides into a chair next to Jared and starts in on his breakfast, secretly glad that Jared had passed the task to him. It would be difficult to pretend to enjoy crunchy eggs.

When Misha tried to take something from Gen’s plate but she slapped his hand away, “None of that now. If you wanted something then you should have been nicer. You’re not going to steal from my plate just because you were a jerk.” Jared snorts at that and Jensen stays silent, pleased, if surprised by Gen’s defense of him. Ever since Gen had come to live with them their relationship had been somewhat complicated. He still remembered her as the girl she was, even as he had come to care for and respect the woman she had become. He wondered sometimes if she still felt the same about him, despite the change in their circumstances.

Misha rolled his eyes and gave an exaggerated sigh, “I was just being honest. You can’t fault me for that. Besides I don’t hate Jensen, I just don’t trust him. You don’t need to trust someone to like them.”

That was just about the last thing Jensen had expected Misha to say. He knew Misha didn’t trust him, but he had taken it outright that Misha hated him.  
“Speaking of trust, where is Christopher?” Gen asked, no affection in her voice now.

It was Misha who spoke up at that, “I’m not sure, around I guess, probably off somewhere plotting his escape or something. I don’t think he’s too big on socializing these days.”   
“Good. I never trusted him; he makes me uncomfortable whenever he is around.” Jensen always assumed that as slaves they would share a bond, due to their situation. He was beginning to realize that everything he had once thought was so clear cut was much more complicated than he had realized. Apparently, despite being an owner, Gen and Misha didn’t hate him, and Jared…Well, if Jared was to be believed then he might return Jensen’s feelings.  
“Come on Gen,” Misha said, “He’s not that bad. Besides, we’re all in this together.”

Gen made a derisive sound at that, “we most certainly are not. Just because Christopher is owned by the same master doesn’t mean I have to trust him. There’s something dark in that man.” Jensen considered Gen’s words; he had always felt the same way. He was exactly the type of Alpha that’s used to make the argument that slavery was necessary. Being a slave was a terrible fate and Jensen couldn’t blame the man for becoming the animal the system treated him as. But that didn’t mean Jensen wanted to be left alone with him. 

From there Jared, as way of changing the conversation, asked Gen something about the baby, and the conversation progressed in that direction. Baby names and the like, it all felt strangely normal. Jensen wished it could always be this way. In that moment, he felt like they had formed some kind of odd little family. His own mom had given him up, and his adoptive parents weren’t exactly the family he had ever wanted. In a way, this was the closest thing to a real family that had ever known.

After breakfast Gen and Misha went to the living room as they had the night before. Jensen stayed back to do the dishes, the clink of plates and warm water a welcome familiarity. Old patterns and emotions worn so deep it was easy enough to feel like this was any other day. Jared hung back with him, watching him intently and for a moment Jensen thought Jared was going to say something. After several minutes passed in silence, Jared standing in the middle of the kitchen, Jensen pulled the drain on the sink and turned around. 

“Is something wrong?”

Jared shook his head, “No. It’s just, I like this.” He makes a gesture that encompasses them and most of the kitchen.

“Yeah, breakfast is epic.” 

“I mean, this. Being here without you’re parents, you and me, all of this. I like being with you Jensen, I hope you know that.” 

I feel the same way, I love you, take me with you. “I do, the only time I ever feel like I can breathe is when I’m around you.”

“Jared, Jensen, get in here, you’ve got to see this!” Gen called to them, and Jensen followed Jared into the living room, curious to see what had her so excited.  
Misha and Gen are sitting together again and is news back on. Jared leans against the back of the sofa but Jensen stops dead when he sees what’s happening. Ackles industries was burning. His father’s company had been targeted, windows smashed and flames licking up the sides of the empty building. The once imposing monument was being reduced to broken glass and ash.

“And people say there isn’t anything good on TV anymore.” Misha’s says self-satisfied.

Jared is watching him intently, trying to see how he will react.

He watches his father’s company literally going up in flames, the halls he once haunted, something that represents everything his father stands for being torn apart by the very people he work so hard to suppress.

“Fuck. Father’s going to be pissed. I just wish I could see his face when he sees this.” He didn’t try to hide his smile. Everything his father stood for was burning away and nothing could have made him happier. Maybe now something good would rise up to replace it.


	5. Chapter 5

The rest of the day had progressed in a similar fashion. They watched the news, and Jensen cooked the meals. As domestic as it all was there was an underlying current of tension. There was nothing that could be done right now, so all that left was waiting, waiting for everything to change.

That night Jensen lay in bed next to Jared again. He thought about how much had changed in the last few days. He laid on his back staring up at the ceiling, watching a moth beating its wings against the now dark light. It made its way across the ceiling seeking a light that is no longer there. 

“Do you miss them, your family?” It’s an abrupt question, but he’s been thinking about his family as of late. And he wants to know, he wants to know everything he can about Jared. And the time they have together is winding down. It doesn’t have to be that still small voice whispers. If only he could tell Jared that he wants forever, that he wants to spend every day with him. If only he wasn’t such a coward, if only Jared didn’t deserve better than him.

“Yes. Every day.” Jared’s reply is straightforward and uncomplicated. It was a stupid question. Of course Jared missed his family. Jensen turned over onto his side as he spoke, “they’re not my parents, the Ackles, their not my biological parents.” He couldn’t see Jared’s reaction to this, and he didn’t bother waiting for a reply. “I came to live with them when I was a child. My mom, my biological mom, was very poor. She worked hard and barely made ends meet. I never met my dad; all my mom would say was that he was an Alpha amd that she lost him before I was born. Beyond that she wouldn’t talk about him. I don’t know how the Ackles found out about me or how they came in contact with my mom. But one day they came to my house and they spent a long time talking to my mom. Then they left, and that was it, for a little while at least. 

After that my mom just looked sad, she cried a lot and kept telling me how much she loved me. Then she sat me down and explained that I was going to go live with the Ackles. She told me they were a nice couple without kids of their own and they wanted an omega child. She said it was for the best, they could give me a much better life and I would be well taken care of. She told me I had to be brave and I had to be good for the Ackles. I had to swear never to tell anyone where I came from. Then the Ackles came and took me away and I never saw her again.” His voice was hollow and devoid of emotion. It used to hurt to even think of that time, but he felt numb thinking back over it now. He believed that his mom believed that what she was doing was for the best, and for Jensen’s own good. But he didn’t want wealth or an easy life; he would trade it all to have been able to stay with his mom. He wondered now, with everything that’s going, on if she was okay. She had never been rich enough to own slaves, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t been caught up in the violence. It was killing him that he had no way to know for sure.

“I used to miss her, and my old life, so much my heart would ache. I would imagine what my dad had been like and what happened to him. The older I get the easier it is to not think about them. More and more they begin to feel like a part of another life, something long gone and not quite real. I have trouble picturing her face now. A lot of that time is fuzzy, liking looking back through a haze. I remember her standing over the stove humming while she cooked. I remember her smile when she would tuck me in and tell me she loved me. But that time feels less real now, like a dream that will fade away in the morning light.”

Jared stayed silent, and what was there to say? He took a breath and continued, “The Ackles started telling people that I was the child of one of their relatives who had been killed by their slaves and they had nobly taken on the responsibility of raising me as their own. I would have trouble remembering all the details, and it was hard not to mix in facts about my real life into the story they had made up. Because of that whenever anyone asked me about my past I would not say anything at all. The Ackles would say that after the pain and trauma I had gone through I was too upset to talk about it. That usually prevented people from asking any further questions. I hated lying about my former life. It felt like I was trying to erase who I was, and someone who I loved. I never told anyone that before. I guess it was easier to just pretend, to try and put my old life behind me.”

“Jensen, I’m sorry, I know how much it hurts to leave behind you’re family. You could find her, your biological mom. I’m sure she would be over the moon to see you again after all these years.”

“Maybe. I’m not sure the Ackles would much approve of that plan. Besides, I’m not sure it would be such a kindness to find my mom. My mom had essentially sold him with the understanding she would never see me again. I know it was to give me a better life, but I’ve changed from the boy she had given up; I can’t help feeling like she may not want me back in her life. I’ve moved on with my life, I’m sure she has as well. I left that life behind a long time ago, and I doubt she would recognize me now. I’m not entirely sure she would be happy with the kind of person I have become. I think it might be kinder to simply let it be. Let her remember the child she gave up, holding onto the belief that it was for the best. Let her hold onto the memory of who I was when she let me go. I remember her like a photograph, frozen in time, exactly as she was. I don’t know what she looks like now and I’m sure it’s the same for her. If I find her and she doesn’t like the kind of man I grew up to be then it will be worse for both of us. It will shatter all those happy memories of what used to be. I think some things are better left alone.”

“Jensen….That’s not the way it works. If you love someone then you love them no matter what. It won’t ruin anything if you could see your mom again. I’m sure she would give anything to be able to see you again.”

Jensen wanted to believe that, but there was a part of him that just couldn’t bring is himself to. It was different for Jared, his family had tried to protect him, tried to keep him with them. He had been taken away; it must be horrible for his family to think what his life was like now. For Jensen his mom had made a decision, it may have been what she believed was best, but she had still made that choice to let him go. He didn’t want to give her any reason to think she had made the wrong choice.

“We could track down your family.” Jensen suggested. It may be too late for him to go home, but at least one of them could be reunited with their family.

“I’d like that.”

Jared never spoke of his family and Jensen hadn’t brought it up before because it seemed cruel, Jensen’s father would never have allowed Jared to see them. But things were different now. He was no longer constricted by the chip and if he wanted to escape there would be no way for anyone to find him.

“I’ve always wondered what happened. You’re family kept you safe for eighteen years, what changed? You don’t have to answer that, it’s just something I’ve always wondered about.”

There was a drawn out silence and for a moment Jensen thought Jared wasn’t going to answer.

“I was reckless and stupid, it’s boring really. I thought I was in love. I met this girl, she was sweet and kind and everything was going so well. I thought I could see myself spending my life with her. I wanted to be honest with her and I thought I could trust her. I told what I was, and she took it well. I actually thought she was okay with it. The next day men came to my house and took me away. Eighteen years of passing as a beta, and I threw it all away for someone who wasn’t worth it.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that. I don’t know how you could ever trust someone again after a betrayal like that.” 

“The problem was that I wasted my trust on the wrong person. I knew then that if I would ever be that open with someone again, I was going to be damn sure they were worth it.”

Jensen thought about everything that had passed between them, about everything he had told him, about seeing Jared shift. He understood then, Jared trusted him, cared for him. He had seen a side of Jared that he wouldn’t show to anyone else. Jensen had to prove he was worthy of that trust. Jensen knew it wouldn’t be long before Jared would leave and be gone for good. A day, maybe two, and then he would disappear to start a new life; a life without restrictions or orders or servitude, one without Jensen. And in that moment he knew that he had to let Jared go. Jensen’s father would never stop looking for him if he disappeared. Whether out of love or to pull Jensen back under his control, it didn’t matter. The truth was, Jared would be better off without Jensen.

Jensen wanted to tell Jared that he loved him, that he would do anything for him. He wanted to tell Jared that he wanted to go with him, wherever it was he decided to go. He wanted to tell him that he would follow him to the ends of the earth if that’s what it took to be together. He wanted to tell him a lot of things. But he stayed silent. He wouldn’t make it harder for Jared, wouldn’t say any of the countless things he wanted to say to make Jared stay or agree to let Jensen come with him. For once in his life he wouldn’t be selfish when it came to the man he loved.

Jared put his arm around his waist, his chest pressed to Jensen’s back. He could feel the warmth of Jared’s breath against his neck and laid still as Jared’s breathing evened out into sleep. He stayed awake lying like that for a long while, thinking how cold and lonely the nights would be without Jared in his bed.


	6. Chapter 6

The next few days passed in much the same way, surprisingly uneventful, all things considered. Jensen did see Christopher around from time to time, but he never spoke to Jensen, which was just fine as far as he was concerned. It should feel different, it should feel less domestic. But there was something about it, having his parents gone, and the “slaves” now de-chipped and without collars. He no longer felt like an owner, and Jared was no longer his slave, he was just Jared. It was surprising how easy it was to adapt to a new life, and he thought he could get used to things being this way. It made his heartache every time he thought about losing this, losing Jared. The house would be so empty; he wasn’t sure what he would do. He didn’t know if his parents would insist on him taking on a new Alpha slave. It wasn’t what he wanted, and he might be able to convince them that it was too dangerous. He hated waiting, a heavy sense of unease stayed with him. Like a pall the knowledge that he was going to lose Jared hung heavy over him.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The news anchor was updating them on the latest development on the malfunctioning chips. New information had come to light that it was someone, or more than one person, in Ackles Industries who had intentionally introduced the malfunction into the chips so that they could be remotely deactivated. It had been done to cause exactly the kind of slave revolt that had ensued. At that time it was unclear exactly who was involved, but police were confident that they would be able to find the person, or persons, responsible. It looks like things were getting worse and worse for his father’s business. Jensen thought he might not even need to worry about being pressured into taking over the business one day. After this there might not be anything left to take over. 

“How did you know?” Jensen couldn’t help asking, “How did you know the chips were deactivated, that you would be able to remove them?”  
It was Jared who answered, “I felt it. I was awake when the chip stopped working. It’s hard to describe, I just felt something change. It was like for the first time in eighteen years I felt like myself again. I could feel my wolf waking up.”

Jensen considered this; Jared had felt a physical change come over him when it was not working. He could only imagine how difficult it must have been for him, for all of them, to have that part of them taken away for so long. Not that he needed any more evidence of how evil the slavery system was. But at least they were free. That side of Jared could come through and seeing it had made Jensen fall deeper in love with him.

After that the news anchor gave the warning that the following images could be disturbing to some viewers. And that was enough to make Jensen excuse himself. He didn’t want to ignore what was happening, but it was getting to be too much. It was difficult for him to witness so much pain and death, day after day.  
He slipped out and went into the hall intent on grabbing a book and hiding out in his room for a while. He didn’t want to away from Jared, but being with him hurt, knowing what he was going to lose.

“It must be difficult, to face the reality of what you’re kind has done. God forbid you have to watch the bloodshed that you’re system caused.”  
A chill ran down Jensen’s spine at the sound of Chris’ voice behind him. He turned around slowly, muscles tense and an instinctive urge to escape coming over him, as he found himself in the presence of a predator.

“Yeah, you’re right. I should get back in there, no use trying to run from what’s happening.” His only thought was to get back to Jared and the safety he represented. He side stepped trying to get past the man. But Chris’ stepped out in front of him, blocking his path.

“You know, I can’t even shift anymore. A lifetime with that chip and now I’m free, but it’s too late. Do you have any idea what that’s like? To have a part of your being destroyed? That fucking chip murdered my wolf.”

His voice remained chillingly calm and quiet.

“I’m sorry, I really am. I had no idea, if there was something I could do to help you I would. Believe me, I never wanted this.”

“As a matter of fact, there is something you can do for me.”

He wanted to get away, every instinct he had telling him to run. But guilt made him hesitate and froze his steps. If he could do something to help the man he was certainly obligated to at least try.

“What’s that?”

Chris’ mouth twisted into a serpent smile and Jensen realized his mistake too late. In an instant Chris had his hand around the collar on Jensen’s neck, and he was pulling and twisting the linked metal until it bit into his throat. Jensen struggled and tried to pull away, but the Alpha was too strong, pushing him back against the wall and using his free hand to pin Jensen in place. The more he struggled the tighter the collar became until he couldn’t get a breath and he was getting dizzy. He pushed against the Alpha, desperate to get away, but he was pushed back harder into the wall. His vision was starting to fade.

“Live by the collar die by the collar.”

The last thing he would ever see was Chris’ serpentine smile, and then everything went black.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
“Jensen, wake up, please be okay, you have to be okay.” It was a familiar voice that broke through the fog, his head was pounding and his throat hurt. He tried to move but that sent a fresh wave of nausea through him. Staying still seemed like the best solution right now. He took slow deep breaths trying to ignore the pain in his chest.  
He opened his eyes to the welcome sight of Jared kneeling in front of him. He grabbed his arm, clinging to him like a life line. “Where’s Chris?” Fear flooded him again as he looked around for any sign of the man..

“He’s gone. I heard crashing and I came to see if you were okay. The second he saw me the fucking coward ran away, outside. I would have gone after him and fucking ripped his throat out, but I had to be sure you were okay first.” 

Jensen gingerly touched his throat; he could feel where the metal of the collar had cut into his skin in some places. But the collar itself was gone, lying on the floor next to Jared. 

Having both, the collar and Chris, gone came as a welcome relief.

“I should go after him; I doubt he’s gotten that far.” There was venom in Misha’s voice.

“No,” Jensen’s voice sounded scratchy and it hurt to talk. “It’s not worth it. If he’s outside he’s probably going to be taken by the police, and if not, it’s not worth risking anyone else getting caught.”

Jared helped him to his feet and led him over to the sofa. Gen brought him water and proceeded to hover over, seeing him hurt was bringing out her maternal side.

“I’m fine,” he didn’t sound fine.

“You’re not fine, you almost died,” Gen said.

“Almost, I didn’t die.” He wasn’t fine, he was shaking and he couldn’t shake the image of Chris’ smile as he choked him. But he was alive and the ache in his chest was starting to ease making it easier to breathe. He felt mostly numb, like this wasn’t happening to him. It was like watching a movie, something that was happening to someone else. He had never been so close to death before and it felt surreal.

“I’m so sorry.” Jared looked stricken. “I never should have made you wear that fucking collar. It was Chris’ idea and I thought I could avoid something like this. He didn’t trust you and I thought I could keep you safe if I could show that I had you under control. But it was a mistake, I should have killed Chris the first time he looked at you wrong.”

“Jared you have nothing to be sorry about. You saved me; if you hadn’t been there I would be dead. You’re like my guardian angel. You don’t owe me an apology, I owe you my life.”

Gen was still hovering over Jensen like she wanted to do something to fix him, but didn’t know what. 

“At least you won’t have to worry about getting hurt again,” she said, “Chris is gone and Jared isn’t going to let you out of his sight.”

Jensen thought about what Chris had said. He’d had no idea that wearing the chip long term could do permanent damage. It wouldn’t have exactly been a concern to the people who made them. They didn’t care if an Alpha lost the ability to ever shift again. But Chris’ words would haunt him, having such a deep intrinsic part of you permanently ripped away. A part of him hoped that Chris would be able to get away and start a new life somewhere else, find some semblance of happiness after everything that had happened. And a part of him wished he could have seen Jared rip his throat out.

Gen had been right, after that Jared became his shadow. No matter where Jensen went Jared would be there. If Jensen went anywhere he would hear Jared following him, whether it was the click of claws against the floor or the pad of footsteps, which was ridiculous really, Chris had been the only danger to Jensen, and he was gone. Despite this, once the shock wore off Jensen found himself starting at every unexpected noise. If he heard footsteps behind him that weren’t Jared his heart would race, no matter how many times he told himself his fear was groundless and illogical. No matter how unnecessary, Jared’s constant presence came as a comfort to him. He knew that as long as Jared was close he would be safe.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
It finally happened on the seventh day after the revolt. The thing he had been selfishly dreading. He was lying in bed, staring out the window as a new day dawned, sending out tendrils of light across the floor and the man sleeping beside him. He had woken up before Jared, the other curled up against him, and he didn’t feel like getting out of bed. Jensen watched Jared sleeping. It was as if everything had been stripped away leaving him looking so peaceful and vulnerable. He imagined a different life for them. He imagined that they were mated and lying in the bed they shared, with a happy future stretching out before them. This last week had given him a glimpse of what that life might be like with Jared. Jared had branched out endeavoring to cook meals for them. He was getting better at it, and it seemed to make him happy to do something for Jensen. The news was on most of the time, giving a dark backdrop to the otherwise peaceful days. After the initial violence of the first few nights, the police had gotten things mostly under control. It was still too dangerous to travel just yet, but the worst of it was over now.

Jensen’s parents kept calling and texting him, trying to make sure he was okay, and that the slaves were behaving themselves. Every time he heard his phone ring he felt his stomach drop fearing that it meant they were coming home. But he was making the best of the time he had left. He watched the rise and fall of Jared’s breathing, he wondered where Jared would go after this, what his future held. He hoped it would be a happy one, even if Jensen wasn’t a part of it. The thought was bittersweet, thinking of Jared moving on without him, finding someone to spend his life with, living a life that they could never have together.

His revelry was shattered by the buzzing of his phone vibrating on the night stand. The caller ID showed that it was his mom calling. He slipped out of the bed and into the bathroom so he wouldn’t wake Jared up with his talking. He shut the door softly behind him and answered the phone. His parents were coming home, it had been deemed safe to travel, and the police were opening everything up again. Which meant it was over, Jared would need to get out before his parents got back or risk being chipped again and once more being a slave. He tells his mom how happy he is that they will be home soon, doing his best to hide the pain in his voice. Once he’s off the phone with her, he texted Gen to give her a heads up about what was happening. After that he went back into his bedroom and slipped into bed as quietly as possible. He lay still in the silence, feeling hollowed out and empty. This was it, the end. A selfish part of him wants to just let Jared sleep on, and when he wakes up to tell him nothing of what had happened. He wants to pretend everything’s the same so that when his parents arrive home Jared will be trapped with no hope of escape. Then he will belong to Jensen forever, it wouldn’t be perfect, but it would be something. He lets the idea run through him, knowing full well he could never go through with it. He thinks about what his mom had said back before he became an Ackles, if you love someone you should be willing to give up everything for them. With a breaking heart he turned to wake Jared up. He had to let Jared go, even if it would break him apart to do it.

Jared opened his eyes and a sleepy smile spread across his face as he looked up at Jensen, “Mornin’.” Jared would be the death of him, he was sure of it.

The smile slipped away then, “Jensen what’s wrong?” Jensen told Jared what his mom had said, that they would be back soon, that it was safe for Jared and the others leave. His voice was empty and he didn’t even try to sound happy about it. There was no point anymore, either way Jared would be gone soon enough.

Jared’s expression is unreadable and a long silence stretches out between them. It’s Jared who finally breaks the silence, “Come with me. “I want to be with you, and I know you feel the same. At least, I certainly hope you do.”

“I can’t, my father will never let me go. It will be too dangerous for us. And you know if I leave with you, and he finds us you’ll be dead.” He hated being so harsh, but he’d been thinking it through and he knew it was true. “If I run off with a slave that would be spitting in the face of everything he stands for. The only way to save face would be to tell everyone that I was kidnapped by an escaped slave. He would track us down and have you put down, and if tried to say you didn’t kidnap me, he would just say I had Stockholm’s Syndrome or something. I’m sure he could come up with a convincing lie.”

“I don’t care, I want you Jensen, in every way possible. I’ve loved you since the beginning.”

“The beginning, really? So back when you used to look at me like you wanted to rip my throat out, you loved me?” He hated how much harder Jared was making this. His resolve was spider web thin as it was, and Jared’s ill time declaration of love wasn’t helping anything.

“Okay, maybe not the very beginning, but once I got to know you, once I realized you weren’t the person I thought you were, that’s when I fell in love with you. I knew you were meant to be mine.”

“But if my father…”

“I don’t care; it’s a risk I’m willing to take. I want you Jensen, in every way possible.”

Suddenly everything he ever wanted was being presented to him, everything he had wanted, and all he could do was watch it slip.

“But I’m not. It’s not a risk I’m willing to take.” And with that he got up and walked away, before Jared could respond, before Jensen could change his mind.  
Before he could make to the door he was being pushed against the wall, pinned into place as he looked into narrowed eyes.

“What did you think, you were going to be all noble and self-sacrificing and that would be it? I would just cry into my pillow and let you go. That’s not how this works. You’re mine and there is no way in Hell I’m letting you go.”

“But my father…”

“I don’t fucking care about him or anyone else. It’s just us now, no one else matters. I love you Jensen, I want you to be my mate. And I know you feel the same.”  
And with that his tenuous dissolve to do what was right broke. He was tired of fighting so hard against everything he wanted. He felt a weight lift, as if for the first time in forever he could finally breathe. Jared wanted him, and that was all that mattered.

“I love you Jared, always. And I want that too.” Before he could say more Jared’s mouth was against his, a desperate, almost brutal kiss. He moved, trying to get close to Jared as he kissed him, his hips arched up, longing for more. He kissed along Jared’s jaw, “come on Jared, want this, I want you.” Jared pulled him back, leading him to the bed without losing contact. He pushed Jensen back on the bed, following him down. He pulled at Jared, desperate to get closer, can’t get close enough. Jared rocks into him setting a steady pace and Jensen can feel years of desire building up inside him. He can feel Jared fall over the edge and he follows soon after, as Jared knots him, locking their bodies together. They lay still like that, the only sound that of their breathing. Years of longing and wanting have led to this and Jensen feels like he could live an eternity in that moment. He can’t believe how hard he fought to give Jared up.

When Jared started kissing along Jensen’s collarbone, mouthing at his shoulder, Jensen arched his neck in invitation. He knew what Jared intended and he welcomed it. He could feel Jared’s teeth rested against his shoulder at the nape of his neck. One bite is all it takes and they will be bound together forever. The mating mark would represent the forging of a soul-deep connection and sign indicator to everyone that he was mated, that he belonged to another.

In his mind Jensen had romanticized the idea of the mating mark. Beyond all the poetic idealism the reality of it was different than what he had pictured. The reality was that it hurt. A lot. There was an explosion of almost unbearable pain and he could feel blood running down his back and dripping down onto the pillow. His body tensed and he clenched his jaw against the pain. “Are you okay?” Jared’s voice was close to his ear. All he could do was nod stiffly, not yet ready to speak.  
And then his world shattered into a million pieces of broken glass.

There was darkness shot through with stars, a pleasure so deep it was almost overwhelming. The outside world faded away until there was nothing but ecstasy and warmth and safety, it was as if nothing bad could ever happen again, nothing could break through into this world that’s just them. He could feel Jared’s heart beating with his. Not just feel it, feel it deeply in him, as if two hearts beat in his chest. He could feel so much more than he should feel. For a moment he didn’t understand, and then slowly the understanding seeped into him. He was feeling Jared’s emotions. Their souls were intertwined eternally and inexorably. It was warmth and safety and love and forever. He didn’t try to fight it he let the sensations sweep through him. Pleasure dripping from his fingertips like melted wax; his own emotions ebbing and flowing along with Jared’s, two hearts two souls twisted inside him. It was almost too much, too much to feel too much to comprehend. And then just as suddenly as it began it was ending. The sensations started to ebb away and the outside world came creeping back in. The world no longer belonged to the two of them alone. He came back to himself slowly as if waking from a deep sleep and the most beautiful dream. But as he did he could feel he was changed. He could no longer feel Jared’s emotions so strongly. But he could still feel them all the same. Now it was an echo within him. He laid still, Jared still close to him, and still feel Jared’s heart beating just as fast as his own. They lay like that, for a while, Jensen wasn’t sure how long. He just knew that he couldn’t bear the thought of being away from Jared now, and words seemed empty at this moment. He could feel the love Jared had for him and he knew his Alpha had been as affected by the experience as he was. Giving Jared up had felt like a selfless sacrifice, but now he could see clearly that he had been wrong. Nothing in the world would be worth giving up what they shared.


	7. Chapter 7

He stood in the front hall, Jared at his side, Gen and Misha were ready to leave, the few belongings they had were packed and sat at their feet. 

“Where will you go?” He had to ask, he wanted to make sure they would okay, he needed to know they would be safe.

Gen looked surprised at that. “Jared didn’t tell you? I just assumed he would have said something already.”

Jensen looked to Jared at that, admittedly curious as to why Jared would keep something like that from him. He certainly wasn’t going to tell anyone where they were going.  
“I uh…I wanted to, but Misha insisted I not say anything.”

Gen rolled her eyes, “I know what Misha said, I’m just surprised you still didn’t say anything. It’s tragic that it took you two so long to finally start being honest with each other. Anyway, an abolitionist group contacted my dad some time ago. They offered to pay off my debt so I could be free. You’re father wasn’t willing to go for it, the status he gained from owning so many slaves was more important to him than the money. But he finally acquiesced because of the baby and all. It took some time to work out the details, but my debt has been paid off and I’m officially a free woman. The only problem was Misha. Your father was unwilling to give him up and I didn’t want to leave without him. I’d rather stay here then live without him. So we’ve been plotting ways for Misha to get away so we could be together. That’s what Jared was doing that first night, before the chips stopped working. It’s strange now, it feels so long ago, like another lifetime.”

Jensen tried to not be offended that Jared hadn’t trusted him enough to tell him what was going on. “Not that it matters now, but you should have told me. I know what was at stake, but Jared, I wish you had trusted me, I probably could have helped.”

“I know sweetheart, and I’m sorry, no more lies I promise.” That was one advantage of being mated, he could feel Jared’s emotions so he could tell if the man was being truthful or not. Even if they wanted to, there would be no more lies between them.

“I’m going to get to see my family again, and they’ll finally get to meet Misha. Since he’s technically still an escaped slave, we’ll have to be careful. But the abolitionist group has arranged for us to go live with a man named Jeffery Dean Morgan. He has a huge private estate out in the country; it’s specifically designed for cases like ours. We’ll be able to be together without having to worry about getting caught.”

“Gen, I’m really happy for you. For both of you, you deserve this. I’m sorry it was such a hard road for you, but deserve to be happy.”

“Don’t say that like you’re saying good bye! We’ll see each other again. You two could come with us?” He could hear the hope in her voice and he could see how badly she wanted him to say yes. 

But he shook his head, “We can’t. If I just runaway my father will never stop looking, all I’ll put us all in danger.”

Gen looked crestfallen and even Misha looked disappointed, so he was quick to reassure, “It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay now. We’ll see each other again, I promise. But you two need to get going. You can’t still be here when my parents get home. After all this, that would be a terrible way for it to end, if you two got caught because we took too long saying good bye.”

Gen gave him and Jared a hug, but Misha hung back, watching them and Jensen briefly considered hugging him too just to see how he would react. But then they were gathering their thing and going to the door, Gen looked back to give him one final sad smile and then they were gone.

All that was left now was to wait.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
His parents came in the door in a flurry of activity. Within moments he was being pulled into his mother’s embrace while she cried against his shoulder and told him how glad she was that he was safe, how scared she had been, how horrible this whole ordeal had been.

“It’s okay, I’m fine. I’m glad you’re okay, I’m glad you’re home.” And he meant it. No matter how complicated his relationship with his parents might be he was glad they were safe. His father stood at a distance, more interested in watching Jared than he was in Jensen.

His mother pulled away, but then he hand went to her mother and her eyes widened as she took in the bruises around his throat. “Oh Jensen, what happened?” She touched the bruise in a ghost of a touch.

He had gone over the story again and again in his head, working exactly what to say when they asked. The best lies are partly true so he tried to stick as close to the truth as he could without giving away too much. 

He told them that the first night when the chips deactivated all the slaves managed to cut them out. He hated to admit that part, but there was nothing else for it. There was no other way to explain the cut on Jared’s wrist, or why they wouldn’t be able to use the chips to track down any of the missing slaves. He told them that Misha and Gen had disappeared right away, going off into the night, not to be seen again. But Christopher had attacked Jensen and tried to kill him and Jared had saved him. Since then Jared had stayed by Jensen’s side, if it wasn’t for him then Jensen wouldn’t be alive right now.

“He didn’t bite you did he?” the horror was evident in her voice and he realized she was looking at the bandage over his mating mark. His father’s head whipped round at that, the same disquieted intensity in his eyes. Jensen considered the implication of that, if Chris had bitten him. The idea of being soul-bonded to a man like that sent a shiver down spine.

“No, fuck, no. In the struggle I hit something and cut myself, that’s all.”

Both his parents were relieve at that, and once they were sure he was okay his mother crooned over how good Jared was, as if he were a dog who had protected it’s owner. And his father watched Jared with narrowed eyes as trying to work out what ulterior motive Jared would have in saving Jensen’s life. Jensen wasn’t sure which one was worse.

“Well,” John began, “It seems we’ll have to get Jared a new chip. But we can do it in the morning. It’s been a taxing few days, and it doesn’t seem there is any immediate need to get your Alpha re-chipped.” Jensen nodded in way of agreement, relieved his father wasn’t going to push to get the chip back in immediately.

“I’m not sure if you are aware of the full extent of the damage done to my business,” he continued, “both physically and in in image, nothing that can’t be repaired of course. I’m going to make a statement to the press in the morning, try to do some damage control. I’d like you to come with me, I think you testimony could be valuable. As my son, and as an Omega, people will listen to you. You can talk about what it was like to have the Alphas free, without the safety of their chips in place. You can talk about how you felt and the best course of action going forward.”

“Yeah, okay. I’d like that, actually.”

With that settled his mother cooed and crooned over him, wanting him to stay close to her. She had him go over everything again and kept asking questions to make sure he was okay, and not physically or emotionally traumatized after his experience. His mother wasn’t always the most maternal type, but right now she was intent on taking care of him. It felt good, a kind of coddling he hadn’t experienced in a very long time, and something he knew he wouldn’t experience again.  
Jared was watching him intently, concern in his features, as if wondering if Jensen was having second thoughts. He gave what he meant to be a reassuring smile, but he was pretty sure it seemed sadder than anything else. He wasn’t having second thoughts, not about Jared, not about anything.

His father’s steps were heavy as he walked the house checking for damage and to see if anything was missing. He watched his father walked up the stairs to the upper room and thought back to when he was child and he saw the man as such an opposing figure. He thought of how much had changed since then, how much had changed in just the last week.

“He loves you, you know.” He looked over to his mother, she had one hand resting on his. Her voice was sincere, if a little sad, as she spoke, “He loves you. He just doesn’t know how to express it sometimes. But in his own way, he loves you, I hope you believe that.”

“I know,” Jensen didn’t, he wasn’t even sure the man was capable of love.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Jensen stood in the wings waiting while his father gave his statement to the press. He was barely listening; he already could guess what he was going to say. He started by condemning all the people involved, in any capacity, in helping to free slaves. Then he went on to swearing that he had no idea what was going on his company, and that when he found out who did he would make them pay to the fullest extent of the law. After that he ended with a rousing speech on how this went to show the need to control Alphas, and in the future his company would work hard to provide better safety protocols and better technology to ensure nothing like this ever happened again.  
Once he was done it was Jensen’s turn to step up. Jared was behind him, and he was grateful for his reassuring presence. Through their bond he could feel the anticipation in Jared, as well as the love he felt. It was enough to give him the courage to step up and speak.

“When the slave chips stopped working and with it came the opportunity for countless Alpha slaves to free themselves. That night, when I realized what had happened I was afraid. I was more afraid than I have been since I was a child and still believed there were monsters under my bed. And my heart goes out to the families that lost loved ones. I will be eternally sorry to all of those who died, both owners and slaves. I am sorry this happened in the way that it did. But I am not sorry that slaves were able to be free. After decades of repression they deserve their freedom. Slavery is a barbaric system that should be abolished once and for all. I was afraid that first night, but I am not afraid anymore. For the first time in my life I’m not afraid to speak out for what I believe in. My world broke apart that night, and only then was I able to see the truth. I had been too afraid of what might come to speak out for those who have no voice. Alphas are not animals to be controlled. Jared was my slave, but in the revolt he was freed of that. And only then was I able to give in to what I’ve known all along, we belong together. Jared is no longer my slave, he’s my mate now. And I will do whatever it is to ensure that Alphas like him never again have to suffer under the inhumanity of slavery.”

He didn’t have long to see the reaction his words had brought before his father had grabbed his arm in a bruising grip and was pulling away from the people and the cameras. 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” He growled, “No son of mine would perpetuator such lies. No Ackles would ever allow themselves to be bound to an aberration like that,” with the final word he gestured to Jared.

“I’ve never been you’re son! I was never an Ackles. You brought me like one of your slaves and ripped me away from my true family. Say what you want, but Jared is more family to me then you have ever been.”

His mother’s face paled and he could see the tears in her eyes. He realized too late how words must have hurt her, he hadn’t just rejected his father, he had rejected her as well. He hated causing her that kind of pain, and wished now he take it all back.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean…” he wanted to take away the pain he saw there, but his words were cut short when his father struck him hard.

Jared growled and pushed forward to protect his mate, but Jensen pushed him back. “Don’t Jared, it’s not worth it. He’ll just use this as another example of what happens when Alphas are out of control.”

His father pushed past him, returning to the reporters to try and do whatever damage control he could. Jensen’s mother hesitated looking between Jared and Jensen, and for a moment Jensen thought she might stay. But then she turned to follow her husband, walking out of Jensen’s life for the last time.

It was over now. Once he let go of his guilt and pain, once he let go of his absolute certainty that Jared was better off without him, he had been able to see what he had to do. If he hadn’t been clouded by his own fear and self-loathing then he would have seen it sooner. If he wanted to be free of his father’s control then he had to break free. By standing up publicly for everything that his father stood against there was no going back for them. Once in the public eye his father couldn’t take Jared away from Jensen, not without calling the scrutiny of the public on him once more. He had finally stopped letting fear hold him back. His old life was over, and only in doing so could he start a new one with the man he loved. He was finally free, so why did it have to hurt so badly?

Tears blurred his vision and Jared pulled him close, the strong arms of his Alpha the only thing holding him together.


	8. Epilogue

He watched Gen cradling her son, his eyes were wide and he had one hand reaching out as he took in this world that was still new to him.

“You’re momma’s beautiful boy, yes you are,” Gen cooed. “He looks just like his daddy.”

“Better hope he inherits you’re personality then. It would be a travesty if he turned out like Misha too,” Jensen said fondly.

“Fuck you.” There was no bite to it, while he still wasn’t as close to Misha as he was to Gen they had become friends over the last few months. Without the collars and chips he had finally had the chance to get to know the man.

“Misha language!” Gen scolded.

“See I told you? He’s already a bad influence.”

“You should be nicer to me. I’ve got plenty of stories to tell you’re kids, I’m sure they’ll get a real kick out of ‘you’re daddy used to own you’re papa.’”

Jensen cringed at the thought, he hated the thought of telling his kids what had transpired between him and Jared. He put one hand over the curve of his stomach, as if he could protect his babies from the outside world. “How about we leave the ‘how I met your father’ stories until their older? No reason to disillusion them too soon. Speaking of which, where is Jared?”

“He’s out in the garden,” Gen told him while she smiled down at her boy. Jared had been spending a lot of time outside these days. He was enjoying the freedom he had to shift without fear, a freedom he had never had, even in his earliest days.

Jensen made his way out to the garden. Foxglove wound its way up the sides of the windows, slowly encroaching and spreading out into other areas. The garden, like the whole house, was immaculately kept up. It stood to reason, considering the kind of household that Jeff kept. He would buy slaves from bad situations and keep in his house. It wasn’t the same as being free, but it was as close to it that any of them could get. It had been a challenge at first, settling in to a new place. As happy as he was with the way everything had turned out, the anxiety and dark shadow of fear had lingered over him, that the happiness he had finally found would be ripped away. But they had been living in Jeff’s estate for a few months now and he was finally feeling settled in. There was still a small voice that would whisper in his mind that he didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve to have this life, to be so happy. Countless others were still living in fear and misery; Alphas were still enslaved, denied even their most basic human rights. He felt guilty sometimes that he could be so happy when so much injustice continued. He didn’t want his children to grow up in a world that would so easily justify and condone stripping a person of their humanity. But that would take time. Public sentiment was slowly changing. His and Jared’s story had been taken up by the cause to show that Alphas were more than animals. If the son of one of the biggest proponents for slavery could find love with a slave, maybe there was hope for others. But this was not a universally held view, and there were those who saw being mated to an Alpha as unnatural, or that Jensen was just doing to act out and get back at his father. But that sentiment was among the minority. The slave revolt had brought all that underlying tension to the surface and forced people to reexamine the system as a whole. It was clear something had to change, and now it just needed to be decided what that was. For the first time Jensen saw a glimmer of hope, a light in the darkness that slavery might be abolished.

He found Jared in his wolf form stretched out on the lawn, half asleep in the patch of sunlight he was lying in. When he saw Jensen he stood up and padded over. He nuzzled and licked the curve of his stomach and Jensen could feel his babies moving, already responding to the presence of the Alpha. He ran his hand over the curve of his stomach. He was four months along but already had a more than noticeable baby bump. Being pregnant with four pups would do that. It was still hard to believe, four babies!

Jared was human again and Jensen grabbed one of his hands, putting it over his stomach so the Alpha could feel his babies moving. Jared put his hand over Jensen’s, entwining their fingers over the curve of Jensen’s stomach.

“I love seeing you like this. You’ve never looked as beautiful as you do right now, carrying my babies.”

Jensen snorted derisively, an admittedly undignified sound, “that’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one carrying quadruplets. I’m not even that far along and I’m already big. By the end I won’t even be able to move. I’m bloated, everything makes me cry, and I’m not sure I’m going to survive the morning sickness.”

Jared put his free hand against Jensen’s cheek and he turned into the touch. Jared’s voice was fond when he spoke, “you wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“No I wouldn’t. I’ve never been so happy. I don’t know what I did to deserve all this, but I wouldn’t give it up for anything.”

They were silent after that, enjoying the quiet and peace of the moment. Jensen closed his eyes and felt himself drifting, thinking back over what had been and how far they had come

It looked like he had found his happily ever after, after all. Somehow all the broken pieces of his life had come together to form something beautiful.

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't checked out the art for this story yet, you really should. :) It can be found here: http://uke-sama-sensei.livejournal.com/6211.html


End file.
